Daughter of the Wolf Moon  Book 1
by Sakata-Bluemoon
Summary: This is the story of a girl, Gaara and how things can change like the rain... I do not own Naruto or the song Scar by Missy Higgens... The book will tell you more...
1. Chapter 1  10

**I like the rain – Sasuke – Chapter 1**

Valentine's Day, a ridiculous ritual for girls and boys to either show their love for each other... or they just wanted to shag each other off. But Sasuke Uchiha from the village hidden in the leaves was not about to go up to some 'girl' and admit that he wanted either of those things. No he was too uptight to even think of doing that. I was meant to be the avenger. An avenger for my clan... It had nothing to do with the fact I'd never actually felt that way towards anyone – such a perfect little virgin.

A soft breeze blew as I made my way to training, today was going to be hot and humid; it was going to be terrible, but as I glanced at the heavily clouded horizon any one could tell rain was on its way.

'_I like the rain._' I thought to myself keeping further in the shadows than usual. It was only a week until Valentine's Day and my fan-girls where up to their usual antics of declaring their love for me. A soft breeze blew through the dark green trees sounding like a whisper of a promise from the Earth. I breathed the fresh air in, it was so clean with the smell of rain like a bonus gift for me to enjoy. A wolven howl went up through the forest, making the Ginin's ears twitch; 'I like the rain... And the creatures it brings out.' I thought again a smile twitching across my face. I was glad nobody was around to see that glint of happiness or I was sure someone would think I was in pain; my smile was never really a smile, it sort of looked like I was having digestion problems and was in some terrible pain. I laughed aloud at this, and hurried to reach the suggested meeting spot before the others arrived...

**{Yes I understand that the chapters are short but I was never really good with placing chapter breaks. So I just go with where there is a new idea. I also understand that it might be frustrating I started with Valentine's Day but am not actually writing about it... Just give me a break and keep reading damn it. – Author note}**

'**Dobe' greeting the others – Sasuke – Chapter 2**

Like always I was the first to arrive, I did this because then the rest of my team couldn't see that I had in fact run the entire way and was perspirating profusely. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up like I had just been zapped with an electric pole. They had arrived.

"Sakura..." I growled, biting my bottom lip, the blonde haired bimbo made me hate every day where gifts could be given even more. She never seems to understand that I DIDN'T like her. I could only hate myself for not making it clearer, and then last year around mid-semester she formed the Sasuke fan club. Now I couldn't take a shower without some poor led on fan-girl trying to break into my house; I kept wondering what I did to lead them on. Was I not clear enough when I threw their gifts and cards into the garbage, it was just frustrating.

"SASUKE!" the shriek sent Goosebumps flying across my skin, I ended up with an armful of pink and blonde hair, with the same short pink mini that she always wore. I barely had time to flick her off me, before the rest of group 7 arrived.

"Teme, you like your little pink parcel then?" Naruto laughed, his blonde and orange bangs flipping widely around his head. I always wondered if he was smoking something; no NORMAL person could be that happy about everything. Although most of the people in Konohoa where abnormal, so maybe I shouldn't think so outside the box for Naruto. Although it was definite that the dobe was a hyperactive freak, which was colour-blind (I mean who wears orange and blue sweatshirt).

"Shut it, dobe." I hissed, trying to flick the strands of blonde off my cerulean shirt. The blonde blushed and murmured something at the me, but no one heard it. Then I finally settled back against a tree and breathed the rain in once again...

**{Another note, ummm... I know that Sakura has pink hair, sort of like bubblegum. But I thought it more appropriate to give them REAL hair colours. I mean not that pink isn't real but I wanted something natural; she still has pink highlights by the way so don't get too hissy. And I know it is the same with Naruto, he's got blonde hair, but because of what he wears I decided to add orange highlights and I changed their cloths; sorry I just thought a jumpsuit looked a little gay. Yes Sasuke has day-dreams and they involve him and the rain, I don't know if he does really, I'm making most of this stuff up! DON'T JUDGE ME! (Note that was for the next chapter) – Author note}**

**Day-dreamer – Sasuke – Chapter 3**

I was in a trance, sometimes this happened when I got lost in a day-dream, I was running faster, faster the rain pelting against my bare back as I ran faster than I thought possible. My muscles screaming, why? Why was I running like this, making pain seer through my entire body? Was I running FROM something? No Uchiha's never ever run away, I was chasing something, something that had my insides twisting and flipping. Something that had my heart going a mile a minute, something I was desperately trying to catch.

"Sasuke..." My name was this thing calling to me if it was its voice was soft; no it wasn't calling me it was murmuring to me it knew me; a flash of red, a small laugh soft and sensual, that sounded like rain falling. God where was this being, I wanted to see. Why did I want to see? Did this desire, longing, I felt have anything to do with the way my heart clenched and cried out whenever the thing caressed my name.

"Sasuke..." another caress of the name as if the thing was worshiping it, wait this wasn't the same sort of call. "Sasuke-kun...!" louder, why was it screaming at me like this with piercing shrieks instead of the sensual call from before, suddenly there was a pressure on my shoulders and the dream began to be vibrated away. The last thing I saw was a lean figure in a rich blood red dress...

**Today's Mission – Sasuke – Chapter 4**

"Sasuke!" God it was that annoying girl again, why could she not just leave me alone. "SASUKE!" She screamed right into my left ear, deafening me for the time being.

"God, Sakura I'm awake." I slowly opened one dark eye and stared at the bimbo intently, she shuddered and I smirked.

'So she does fear that glare.' My smirk just grew wider as she shuffled away from me. But as soon as she was far enough back Naruto stepped forward into her spot, making the smirk vanish in a flash. A grin plastered from ear to ear of his annoying stupid face. Blonde bangs flopped about the sides of his head like a mop in the breeze.

"So the great Uchiha still has naps during the day." I growled my warning but the idiot kept going, "I wonder what he dreams of, of course. His abnormally large fan-girl followers, isn't that right Sakura." Sakura blushed, and I growled again a little louder this time, tensing my leg muscles into springs. "Or... Or does he dream of Kakashi sensei torturing him with questions about how to make friends, cause we all know Sasuke is the king of peop- Ahh!"

"Shut up you baka!" I hissed baring my teeth at the dobe. Who was now plastered to the ground with a very pissed off Uchiha sitting astride his chest with a thin blade pushed against the base of the baka's neck.

"Will you two get off each other!" I looked up, rage still flickering in my black heartless eyes.

"Kakashi sensei..." I hissed straightening, my teacher gazed one eyed at me his mask moving slowly as he breathed...

**Sensei – Sasuke – Chapter 5**

"YOU'RE LATE!" cried Sakura and Naruto in unison.

'God they always did that, and always got the same stupid answer.' I thought crossing my arms and moving back under the shadow of my tree.

"Sorry I got lost on the road of life." Kakashi said, grinning through his mask. "Naruto, why was Sasuke trying to kill you?" He asked staring one eyed at the boy in question; Naruto just shuffled his feet uncomftoble and remained staring at the ground.

"Errr..." I growled threatening Naruto to continue and lose his tongue, "no reason, I just challenged him to spar." He looked up grinning brightly.

"Is that all... Jees you guys are so competitive." He said walking up to our group shaking his head, "anyway, you all probably want to know what today's mission is correct?" we nodded, "Nothing." Everyone sat there still waiting for an answer, Kakashi looked between of us slowly, "Do I have to repeat myself every time..." he sighed, "you haven't got a mission today they are all being handled. Go take a break for goodness sake." I stalked off, I could feel everyone's eyes on my back wondering where the sulky teen was off to; like I'd ever tell these idiots.

"Sasuke..." Sakura moaned trailing after him, "Come on we could get some lunch... Or maybe you'd like to train..."

"No, Sakura, leave me alone." I had made my final desision, if anyone was stupid enough to follow now they would lose their lives for it. No one not even that baka Naruto dared stalk after the sulking, Emo, depressant teen cause he might be intellectually challenged, but not THAT much.

**The Village Hidden in the Leaves – Moonshadow – Chapter 6**

The rain trailed after her. Making the plants raise their heads to the sky for the last of the sun. Sounds of the forest greeted the stranger, a wolf howled in the distance. My soft cloak of blood red swirled gently around my ankles; the day glowed with a strange mystical light as the lone traveller continued on my way.

'_I should be getting close_.' I thought pulling my hood further forward covering my face completely. A rustling in the bushes beside me forced me into a state of awareness. '_I wasn't that careless to let them follow me? Was I?_' I thought tugging lose the sword at my side. A lone wolf stalked forward growling softly, I knew the dark hair and gold highlights to be my personal friend; and most important collaborator.

"Is the way clear up ahead?" I asked releasing the breath I had been holding; the wolf nodded unsure of why they were heading to a village hidden in the leaves. "Then let's move... This rain can't keep hiding us forever." I said picking up the pace, the wolf huffed and bounded after the red woman.

The two figures travelled quickly over the slowly soaking ground; no one heard either being breathe over the purr of the rain that fell. The gates of a village loomed up in front of the two and neither blinked as they passed under the large arch bearing the mark of the hidden leaf. A great swirl with an arrow at the side, it didn't look much like a leaf but no one complained. The two thought they were unseen, but someone above them hissed their warning and tailed after the intruders a look of antagonism plastered on their face. The irritated being vanished into the clouded sky; appearing again, only briefly to grab hold of an abandoned raincoat. But then disappeared again, leaving without a trace.

**A name, but no face – Moonshadow – Chapter 7**

No one dared enter the streets as the two strangers impatiently waited for the gates to the Hokage's abode to be opened. The dark wolf sat down under the small out crop of the roof trying to dry itself a bit, while the woman in the red cloak paced impatiently back and forth. Back and forth, in front of the great oak doors it was obvious the girl was irritated.

The doors opened a crack and a young man stuck his head into the onslaught of water, beckoning to for me to come forward. I didn't move out of the rain and the man sighed stepping completely out of the covered area.

"Yes." My tone was harsh (maybe too harsh for the hour of morning we had arrived at), yet silky smooth and sensual at the same time. It was so deep and airy that the man was lost as he watched her lips slowly move forming the word. A growl from the wolf brought him back to reality.

"Miss the Hokage needs a name to allow you access into this sanctuary." I sighed and a glowing green eye flickered as the hood flicked open when I turned on my heels.

"God why is it always a name?" I murmured to no one in particular, "Fine... I am Moonshadow. No last name, no village... JUST Moonshadow." I said glancing back at the young man, who had his finger in the air about to protest; but then decided against it. The green eye had startled him and the way she spoke, as if royalty. Someone no one should mess with, or object against. 'That was probably the smartest thing you've done boy.' I thought staring at him intently as he scurried back through the gates and the shelter of the domain. I impatiently waited one hand holding just above the curve of my hip. 'Why did they send him, the incompetent fool's probably gotten lost inside.' The man reappeared looking slightly confused, but shook his head swiftly smiling at me.

"The Hokage says thank you for coming to our village and is honoured to give you these." He handed me several pieces of paper, "He was curious to know if you were going to attend the Chunin exam?" I smiled, but he didn't know that.

"Yes, I think I may. Some entertainment would be nice in this time of sorrow." I stalked off then, the rain closing like a curtain behind me.

The boy stood there watching as the woman in the red cloak skulked away into the afternoon, a shiver running down his back as the memory of the green eye came to him.

**{Yes I know that Moonshadow is not actually a character from the original Naruto series, but I needed to add someone for this mystery part. Also she does get a bit bitchy when she is made to wait, but maybe later on she'll get a hold of herself when she feels safe. Remember that someone is following her and she is running from something... I'm not telling you what so there... - Author note}**

**The Sand Sibs – Gaara – Chapter 8**

"Rain..." I hissed at Kankurou, the boy wearing the full body black suit stared back at me. I knew he hated it more than I did, but he never complained about it. He was the elder after all, but I was the stronger so he had to remain silenced for the time being.

"Hey do you know where Temari is brother?" My sister had vanished long ago, I hadn't really cared she annoyed me more than my older brother. But now that the rain wasn't letting up I was hoping she'd found somewhere dry for us to spend the rest of the night. Heavy footsteps coming from the distance sent the two of us into an immediate state of sentient. I stood back letting my older brother take the lead; I was NOT in the mood for fighting, not with the rain pounding a rhythm onto my back. A figure burst through the undergrowth her blonde hair flopping about her head, a pale purple streak broke free from its bonds.

"God, Temari I almost killed you!" cried Kankurou sticking his knife back up his sleeve. It was unlikely, but the other two smiled at the joke. Sharing a hug as Tamari came closer to the two boys.

'Ninja should use more stealth than that.' I thought coming forward, my sister held a hand up trying to catch her breath. A dark sheet draped over her shoulder caught my attention. The water which fell on it seemed to simply slide off in little beads.

"I have returned to you useless brothers with news." She panted, straightening, "the village hidden in the leaves is about an hour's hike from here, in a general... that direction." She raised an arm and pointed to where the rain seemed thickest. I groaned, at the thought of MORE water. "Yes Gaara I know you hate the rain so when I was there I grabbed you this." She pulled the sheet off her shoulder and chucked it to her cantankerous brother. I stretched the black coat out in front of myself and smiled secretly behind it; sometimes my sister was a total ditz, but at least she remembers my odium of rain. I pulled the raincoat over my head, tugging some of my red hair loose from the hood.

"Thanks." I murmured soullessly staring back at her. She sighed and the three siblings headed off towards the village hidden in the leaves. Sometimes Gaara had issues showing emotion, he was such a little Emo.

**{I know I've got three character POV'S going and it took me 8 chapters to put Gaara's in but really the story needs him for further reference. By the way for all those NOOBS out there CANTANKEROUS means GRUMPY ** ** and ODIUM means HATE - Author note}**

**Darkness – Moonshadow - Chapter 9 **

I lay on the couch of my room, holding the wolf's soft silk ears in between my left fingers. The soft pitter patter of rain hitting a window pane soothed my fragile feelings into a state of pure peace. The black wolf yawned lazily stretching his jaw and baring his massive teeth.

'this is the life...' I thought flicking my hair over the arm of the sofa. 'no noise, just the rain... no running, or hiding or fighting... just perfect peace.' I was awoken from my perfect peace as a clatter came from outside my room; the sound of someone dropping their keys. I dropped my chakara levels and drew the curtains closed, leaving the room in complete darkness. The wolf stood slowly and shuffled out of view behind the bed, I drew the black blade of my sword and jumped lightly up into the beams of the roof. I tugged at the hood of my cloak that I had thrown on before I had hidden; no one was supposed to come to my room, I had made that very clear to the receptionist. The door opened a crack and my eyes narrowed as a beam of light filled the previously black room. A boy in a black full body cat suit walked in and searched uselessly for the light switch; he finally found it and smiled triumphantly switching it to the 'on' position. His smile faded though as he flicked the switch again, I didn't like the artificial light so I had cut the cord to the light earlier; leaving only the light of the day to brighten the room.

"Kankurou what is the matter, I want to sit down." Moaned a female voice, the suggested boy shrugged and mumbled about the light being blown. I smirked, sometimes I forgot how stupid people really where. There was some shuffling and another boy with vivid red hair stepped forward, and gazed solemnly with pale green eyes at the cord leading to the light. His face darkened as he saw the slash marks from my sword on the wall, perhaps I should've been more careful in taking care of the light.

"Someone else is here." His voice grated into the silence like sand in the wind, he threw the door wide and pulled the other two further into the room. He undid the cork of the gourd on his back, I raised my nose to the air and breathed in deeply.

'Sand... so they're from the village hidden in the sands... but something else is there as well... what?' I bent forward more and took another whiff of the scents in the room.

"Blood!" I gasped aloud, three faces all turned up to look at me. And I realised I had said it aloud; I moved quickly heading straight for the door. I paused on the last beam and slapped my forehead. 'idiot, you forgot Achilles.' I looked back at the bed and the wolf shifted slightly, he didn't want to move now that the boy with the blood sand was in his way. I whined, the boy didn't scare me as he did Achilles, but I was tired from my journey and not in the mood for fighting. 'shit... shit... shit... shit...'

"... here...?" I looked up from the beam I was smashing my cranium against, the boy with red hair looked at me intently his gaze unwavering as I returned it, although he probably wouldn't have noticed from behind my cloak.

"mmhhhh..." I replied unsure of his question.

"What are you doing here!" he asked again a little louder this time, probably thinking I was deaf. My sensitive ears twitched, the noise was too loud. Too shrill and sharp, it made my head ache; or was that from bashing it against a beam, I wasn't quite sure. I shrugged, he was getting agitated by my lack of answers. "Tell me!" he screamed, the noise making my ears hurt. I whined again, there was too much noise in this room. Achilles jumped onto the bed and growled at the boy, feeling my distress and pain.

"No, he is not worth your life." I growled speaking the language of my home country and the beasts, Achilles growled again. But didn't make a move.

"He causes us both pain mistress I will obey you as always but he must pay for what he's doing." I laughed maniacally, and the three teens bellow me shared a confused glance.

**{I know Gaara has only had one chapter and it wasn't very long. But I didn't want to write about him entering the village when I already had someone there. Yes Moonshadow can speak wolven, she also has improved senses and another trait that I will reveal in a later chapter but even then I mightn't reveal the whole lot... - Author note}**

**To kill.. or not to kill... – Gaara – Chapter 10**

This woman in the rafters was insane, she laughed at something the wolf had barked. But the fact she had known my sand had killed before made me at unease. She had still not answered my question from earlier; why was this woman in the red cloak perched in the roofing space in our room.

"Stop speaking to the bloody dog and answer me!" I screamed again, this time there was a response she had shook herself and the dog growled. I glanced at the beast standing on the bed and shivered. Temari shrieked and I spun round, the woman had moved. The darkness shifted covering everywhere except to where we stood, the door slamming shut, but because Temari had a small torch in her hand there was still a circle of light that emitted from us.

"I will answer you in my own time. But first I request for you to stop your high shrilled shrieks." The voice was like melted chocolate, it caressed each word forming each syllable perfectly. I swallowed hard, she left me stunned, unable to retort to her comment.

'How can she move so quickly without exerting any chakra?' My sand shifted inside my gourd and I began searching for her in the darkness.

"Mmmhhh I like your sand little one." She said I felt something touch my sand, stroking it. I stood still; there was now another way for me to find the girl. I sent more chakra into the sand so that in my mind's eye it glowed bright red. 'I like your trick.' She thought using my own chakra to project the words to me. 'Very handy when searching for someone in the dark. But I do not care for this... Why are you in my room...'

'This is our room, the receptionist gave us the key to this room, perhaps you came to the wrong one.' She hissed through the link, I knew that she had not made the mistake but I'm not going to admit that.

'Come to me and show me your key number.' I sighed taking a step forward along the trail and towards the mysterious woman. "Key card please." I jumped startled by her sudden appearance at my side. The trail kept going though leading somewhere off to the other side of the room and yet she was here next to me. "Key card." She growled again, I searched my pockets for the card but it wasn't there; terrified that she might move again out of my sight range forced me into an unaccustomed state of sudden panic.

"Temari do you have the key card with you!" I called into darkness, I heard the ruffling of searching hands but no clank of key card against chain. "Kankurou do you have the thing!" I called not waiting for any reply, the same series of sounds but this time there was a relieved sigh along with the jangle of keys. He chucked them to me and my sand caught the small object skilfully, before handing them on to the girl.

"Oh... This is quite bothersome..." She murmured, after a few minutes of silence, she jangled both keys in one hand, "it seems that we are... Sharing this room..." I stood there aghast, I was confused and stunned, and I disliked being either of those things. Especially, when brought on by a woman. Who at the moment seemed content with teasing me.

"What do you mean sharing this room?" asked Temari, I heard a light laugh and soft footsteps.

"It means that we are roommates..."


	2. Chapter 11  20

**Issues with having to share – Gaara – Chapter 11**

I sat crossed legged on the floor with my two siblings, a wolf and a mysterious girl in a red cloak. An awkward silence hung about us as we sized each other up. 'I can take the wolf easy... The girl has very little muscle on her and doesn't seem to have much chakra ability, she should be easier than the wolf...' I looked across at my elder brother to see him also mentally sizing the two up.

"Right... I'm going to go see the receptionist about this mistake..." the girl said tugging at the hood of her cloak. She walked out of the room slowly closing the door behind the wolf's tail. The silence seemed to lighten then and I shared a glance with Kankurou, this was not going very well.

"What should we do?" he asked looking between me and Temari, "I mean I don't think it would be that bad sharing with her but she seems to have some... quirks..."

"I think it was just a reception mix up, it can't be anything else." Temari said turning away from us, "but still if it isn't I don't think it would be that bad sharing with a girl for however long she is staying." I looked up at my elder sister and smiled inwardly, Temari had always wanted a sister or at least a girlfriend who she could do girl things with. We had tried comforting her one year by letting her do some girl stuff with us... Well let's just say Kankurou has taken to wearing a purple design on his face ever since; sometimes it creeps me out but he enjoys the long process of applying purple face paint on in random designs.

"Temari are you only saying this so you can do girl stuff together?" She looked away blushing, "So yes is your answer... Great... Look I know it's hard having two brothers who take up all your time and you never have any time to do all those girly things like shopping and stuff. But I don't trust this girl, she makes me uneasy..." Temari glared at me and then smirked evilly.

"You're only saying that cause she touched your sand." I dropped my head and the other two broke out into waves of laughter. When it had finally died away they returned to sitting in a more natural silence.

"I talked to them..." all three of the sand siblings jumped and spun towards the window where the girl in the cloak stood.

'Shit she's good, I didn't even hear her walk in the door.' I thought looking between her, the door and the wolf curled up on the door step. She must have been there a few minutes because the mutt was fast asleep with what looked like a smirk on his face.

"They said that regrettably because we are in the system under the same room they cannot do anything until they get another vacancy. And that may not be until next week. So until someone leaves creating a space, we will unfortunately be remaining as roommates." I took this expected information in in utter silence, but there was a nagging thought that without proper warning the quirks of my siblings could distress her.

"So if we're going to live together we may as well get to know each other." Kankurou said with a smile plastered across his purple streaked face. It was as if he had read my mind. "Why don't we give our names and then our worst habits, that way we can be prepared for when we do them?" We all nodded knowing that that was exactly what we were all thinking.

"Fine, I'll start. I'm Sabaku Temari from the village hidden in the sands; my habits are..."

"Snoring..." Kankurou put forward, smirking at the blush that spread across his sister's face.

"Eating ice-cream and other stuff when you're upset..." I said, going along with what Kankurou was doing.

"Day-dreaming about boy band members and cute guys..." Temari looked like she was about to have the biggest rage in all her life, when the girl intervened with our fun.

"Enough! No more!" She cried, not loudly but not weakly either; she had walked over to where Temari stood and had a hand on her shoulder. "Temari is your sister; you should respect her and be supportive. Don't show her faults, show her abilities." We stared at the figure that was now preaching to us; watching a woman barking at me like this was a big turn on.

"Ok... Sorry Temari..." I don't even think she heard Kankurou's apology because instead of listening she was staring at the girl beside her in utter awe. No one had ever made Kankurou say sorry before, especially not a woman. "Anyway, I am Sabaku Kankurou, and I have a habit of building puppets in the bathroom." I sighed it was so true, the boy was obsessed.

"And you wear purple face paint..." I added looking at him aloofly, his bottom lip jutted out and he glared at me. "I guess it's my turn then... I am Sabaku no Gaara from the village hidden in the sand. My habits include constant insomnia and a fetish for cookies." I said the last part under my breath not wanting the girl to think I was a total loony.

"Hn..." was all she said, "I am Moonshadow, I can't stand artificial light and I also have insomnia. I've had it ever since I can remember. I very much hate loud sounds and shrill noises, I also dislike being touched." She said the last part softer than the rest but didn't try to hide it like I had.

"And the wolf?" Temari asked, pointing in the direction of the beast.

"Achilles, my oldest and most powerful friend; he doesn't really have habits except he sleeps where ever he happens to be when he's tired... Just warning you trod carefully if you get up in the night." Gently we settled back into silence, but something was still bothering me about the girl.

"Why do you hide inside your cloak...?"

**Secret – Moonshadow – Chapter 12**

I glared out from under the hood of my cloak; Gaara seemed to be becoming uncomfortable with the long silence that he had created from his question. Good I wanted to see him sweat, besides why should I tell him? It's not like I'm his mate or anything.

"Careful mistress if you attack the boy there are his two siblings backing him up." Achilles warned, "He does have a right to freely question you mistress, give him a simple answer something that he can't argue with." He barked speaking our language, he may be a wolf but he was very intelligent when I became hot tempered like this.

"Fine..." I growled out at both of them, Gaara stared at me waiting for me to continue. "I was in an accident and ended up mutilated. I don't like to talk about it..." I lied; Achilles barked once, both of us where happy with the lie. And the stupid teen seemed to believe what I had told him. I turned back to the window watching as people began coming out of their homes, the rain from earlier had died down now. That was a disappointment; I liked the rain; especially when you had somewhere dry to sleep that night.

"Can I see?" he asked, well that just made my blood boil, I twirled on my heels and slapped him hard across the side of his face; leaving a stinging hand print, before stalking off into the bathroom. The only way I was going to cool off now was to have a long soak. Achilles trotted after me happy to finally be able to get the mud out of his coat after so many weeks. Mud was something we both disliked immensely (it was the only down side to rain), but only because it clumped together and made patches on your skin. I twisted the hot on to full and added barely any cold. I sat silently on the bottom of the bath breathing in the steam. When the layer of dirt and grime was washed away, the water began to scold my skin so I turned the shower off. Now that the rushing water had stopped I heard the half hushed murmurs of the three siblings outside the bathroom.

"Gaara you complete moron, go and apologise for asking something so insensitive." Temari was trying to keep her voice as hushed as possible but the way her sentences went up at the end she was ready to start screaming at him. I don't think Gaara was even listening, because he was caught up in a long train of thought.

"...She hit me... No one's ever... She did... She slapped me...ME... She just went wham... Where was my defence...? What...? Why did I let her...? She was so fast though... God just went -" it kept going on like this, Temari kept whispering harshly at Gaara to go and apologise, while he was lost in a train of thought that went around and around his head. Kankurou hadn't said anything yet so I assumed he had taken residence on the couch, watching the other two argue.

"Come on Achilles, we better grace them with our presence." The wolf smirked evilly, his reply was that of great pleasure, especially when he could watch two siblings arguing, I slid on another pair of clothes from the suitcase by the basin. I grasped the handle of the door and twisted it open, stepping out onto a scene of utter chaos. Temari was flailing about trying to get Gaara to concentrate on what she was saying; while instead he just sat on the middle of the coffee table hands resting on his knees a look of pure shock on his face. I glanced around in search of Kankurou, spotting him sitting on the bed in a very relaxed position. "What's going on here?" I mouthed at him; he smirked and indicated with a pat of his hand for me to sit beside him. I did as was instructed and turned my attention back to the scene before us.

"It's been like this ever since you went into the bathroom." He snickered, "Temari is dishing all this shit out on Gaara and well thanks to that slap you gave him, he's totally stunned. Like a fish outta water Moon." Moon? No one had ever called me a nickname before, it had always been the long proper Moonshadow; I like this Kankurou guy.

"Moon..." I murmured under my breath, he smiled taking off his cat headed hood. His hair was an unruly mess of pale brown, which stuck out in all directions.

"Yeah, I hope you don't mind. But I did find Moonshadow a very long name to say." He murmured returning to watching the verbal warfare before him.

'And Kankurou isn't?... never mind that, so why is Gaara so shocked that I hit him... ah, woops was meant to say that out loud.' I thought mentally hitting myself before asking Kankurou what I had thought before. The constant bickering seemed to die down then; Temari turned to me and smiled, but Gaara was still lost in his whirlwind of thoughts and queries.

"Sorry about Gaara, but unfortunately he has issues, just like you." I smirked; I already had gathered that what with his insomnia. And the cookie fetish, oh yes I had heard him mumble that, but like I said I have sensitive ears. Kankurou perked up then and stared at me his eyes lost in the deepest reaches of his brain.

"He's never been touched you know, just like you..."

**Never been Hugged – Gaara – Chapter 13**

'They wouldn't tell her about that... would they?' I thought breaking from my trance when I felt three things boring into my back. I realised that everyone was staring at me, creating unease inside of me. I pouted to myself, 'So they told her, so much for sibling love.' I huffed crossing my arms. The room seemed to be filled with silence except for the screeches of children running about in the puddles left by the malicious rain. Mothers of these children called out names and chased them down the street, probably collecting them into a hug. I whimpered closing my eyes and burying my face into my knees.

"...Never been touched..." it was a thought really just stuck out into the silence. The bed squeaked slightly as a weight was lifted from it. Soft footsteps too soft to be audible over any breath, but in this silence you could've heard a feather fall from a mile away. The gently swish of a cloak as Moonshadow glided over the ground to stand before me, the cloak folds parted allowing a hand to come forward to rest lightly on the coffee table beside my leg. The blood red nail polish attracted my attention, then I glanced up along her arm, her black jeans and soft white long sleeved tee shirt seemed like anything anyone would wear. But the blood sash that had been wrapped around her torso, made the outfit seem to be wrapped like a present. "...Never been hugged..." It was a whisper not really meant for anyone to have heard, "...Never loved... Lost... Alone... Scared... Just a child..." she seemed to be choking the words out, but they were getting louder she was angry and upset at the same time, for me. A loud bark from the wolf brought her back to reality, she sniffled, and I realised she'd been crying. "Sorry..." she murmured before kneeling down beside me again, "but I know how it feels..." I whimpered again curling tighter into a ball, how could she know how this felt? Everyone feared to touch me because of my mutation, fear that even seeped into my brother and sister, my own mother... Everyone.

'I don't want to be feared...' I felt like whispering to her, but I think she had sensed that. Her hand moved away from my line of vision, I whined at her to put it back, but she ignored the plea. I became startled by soft fingers stroking my hair; it was like a breeze ruffling the obnoxious crimson locks. She was skilled at what she was doing, probably from practise with the wolf; but it still felt so nice, so warm and caring. I wanted her to hold me, hug me, and love me. As if reading my mushy mind, she placed her forehead on my shoulder; I glanced across at her now revealed face. Stunning, that's how I'd describe it; her nose was smooth and gently curved. Her eyes were closed and her mouth slightly parted, she was breathing me in, tasting my every worry and fear. A single strand of curled midnight black fell to beside her relaxed face. She was a goddess, not mutilated or deformed; nowhere had I seen a single mark or scratch relating to her 'accident'. I shifted closer to her allowing my head to rest against her neck, she smelt like a rainy day, a fire roaring in the hearth, someone cooking and the simple scents of a forest, a very warm and welcoming scent. It was wonderful, even though I disliked the rain this wasn't simply standing in the middle of it. I felt her face muscles contract as I drew closer, she breathed against the back of my neck sending shivers down my spine with each exhale.

"I like your scent." She said it quite simply; I didn't know if I had a scent like hers, but it was nice to know she liked it. "It's like a summer breeze, the beach hidden within it like a call for all to come to its waters edge." You could hear the smile on her voice.

"Don't let me go." I whined feeling her head drawing away, the warmth she radiated was comforting and almost unbearable to be without. But she pulled back taking her scent and warmth with her; I never knew I could feel so cold.

"Sorry, my leg's falling asleep." She whispered standing, but leaving the pressure off one of her legs. "I wouldn't mind sitting there longer, but I really dislike pins 'n' needles." She murmured practically limping over to the couch. I sighed before sliding off the coffee table and standing.

"I'm hungry..." whined Kankurou getting off the bed, "let's go out for lunch, I'll pay." We murmured in agreement and headed for the door but Moonshadow just spread across the couch. "You coming Moon?" he asked throwing a glance back at her.

'Moon? When did we start calling her Moon, stupid nicknames sound funny... Should've stayed as Moonshadow...' I thought staring intently at her, hoping against hope she'd take the offer of free food and come; just so I could feel her warmth near me once again.

"No, I think I'll go and check on some things." Moonshadow murmured from where she lay, I sighed disappointed and followed the other two out of the hotel room.

**Blood – Moonshadow – Chapter 14**

I heard the door close slowly, I was still confused about why they had asked me to going them; I was not one of them, not their sister.

"Stop worrying about it. Let's just go and search the town, there may be some deer around." Achilles yawned, he was hungry and because I had declined Kankurou's offer of free food we would have to go and catch our own.

"It's better to hunt at night." I murmured, "Less people around to see the blood." I opened the window onto the still lively day.

"Stop worrying people won't notice against that blood cloak." He barked jumping over the ledge and onto the roof outside. I pulled the cloak closer around me before following suit, Achilles smirked happily at me. The day had been long and full of surprises; first the rain and then the three sand siblings. But no matter what strange things happened an afternoon of hunting always soothed our distressed nerves. It seemed that no matter where we went or how pissed we were, spilling the blood of an animal made it all better.

We sprinted across the rooftops heading towards the forest that surrounded the village. We were like gazelles jumping the gaps between towers of rooves; they where fast and strong and never slipped even on the wettest areas. I picked up the scent of fresh animal flesh; and growled preparing for the chase and kill.

I hadn't realised how hungry I was until my stomach was on the ground watching the herd of deer. A young buck limped behind the rest, he was our target. We'd been stalking this one deer for nearly fifteen minutes and I couldn't take another one. I launched weightlessly from my hiding place sending the deer into a state of panic; they ran from the glade as I tackled the injured one down onto the soft grass. My canine teeth sinking into the thick flesh of his shoulder, I brought my hands around his uncovered neck and broke it with swift ease. Finally the stupid animal stopped squirming and I cleaved a long strip of skin, fur and muscle from the deer and dropped it to the side. Achilles came forward and we lapped greedily at the hot rich blood flowing quickly from the wound. We gorged ourselves on the hot red meat, blood spilling out onto the soft baby green grass. The fresh meat satisfied my stomach and the gluggy liquid fulfilled my thirst.

"Tibi gratias agimus vitae, scito quia mortuus vivemus..." I said in the accustomed ritual for hunting, the Latin words tickled the tip of my tongue. Achilles howled out his thanks and we turned back towards town, satisfied for the first time in months.

"Soo good to taste real meat..." He purred licking his lips clean of blood; I smirked knowing that the blood covering my shirt would raise questions when we got home. I began to hum the notes of 'Jupiter' making Achilles jump around with the angry beat; his mane whipping about him as he jumped and flipped. I laughed as he did this and pulled my I-pod out of my rear pocket, removing the headphones and turning the volume up high. The heavy bass of 'hands open' by Snow Patrol came pounding out, I laughed as Achilles tried to copy a rock stars head bang move. I began to sing along with the lyrics as we walked through a few side streets, avoiding bumping into anyone remotely normal. Unfortunately our luck had run out with the successful kill of that deer.

"Moon?" Kankurou spluttered in surprise, he and Temari where standing across from a gang of local kids. I sighed shutting my I-pod off, before another song started; giving him a small wave in reply.

"Moon... What sorrta name is that?" A blonde across from them cackled I narrowed my eyes; Achilles growled his hackles rising making me grab him in warning.

"Naruto, don't be mean." The pink and blonde girl across from him growled, slapping him about the head. "I'm sorry about him, he's not that bright." I had to smirk at this, the way he looked at her, so hurt yet so in love.

"Hn..." A voice said from above, I glanced up past the brim of my hood. Gaara stood upside down in a tree across from a young man in deep blue.

"Hmf..." I replied...

**The Girl in the Red Cloak – Sasuke – Chapter 15**

I had arrived just in time, one of those sand Nins had a kid from our village by the throat and was looking very untrustworthy. I pegged a stone, my aim immaculate, it struck his wrist leaving a shallow gash. He hissed up at me from my perch in the tree; I was glad I was in the tree.

"That's not very nice." He growled at me, dropping his 'weapon' to the ground beside him. I stared at the bandaged wrapped thing going through my memory bank of all the weapons a Nin could use.

"No Kankurou..." Came an even deeper growl from beside me, I looked across to see a red haired sand Nin standing upside down from one of the tree branches. I was pissed now, only a highly ranked ninja could sneak up so quietly and even then. The black covered boy on the ground stared intently at the boy in the tree but relaxed, throwing his weapon back onto his shoulder he turned back to Naruto and Sakura.

"Moon?" He queried down the street his eyes widening in startled surprise. I peered past some of the foliage down the street to see a woman in a red cloak casually strolling up to the other Nins giving them a small wave.

"Moon... What sorrta name is that?" Naruto cackled making me glare at him; the woman said nothing but grabbed the dogs ear when he pushed forward snarling viciously at Naruto, blood dribbled down the side of his jaw before he licked it away.

"Naruto, don't be mean." Sakura said smiling at the girl and her companion, "I'm sorry about him, he's not that bright."

"Hn..." I scoffed, that was such an understatement. He was as stupid as an ass, but sometimes he did have an idea that worked... Sometimes being the prominent word in this sentence... The dog looked up at me and I felt the girl's eyes on me as well.

"Hmf..." she replied to me, scratching the dogs ears contently. His tail wagged and he pushed into the touch, as if teasing me.

"Just curious but do you guys have permission to be in our village. I mean no offence but yeah..." Naruto said rubbing the back of his head distractedly. The girl in the red cloak shifted slightly before removing four passes, the girl from the sand blushed deeply murmuring something to the boy saying he was a forgetful idiot.

"Thought you guys might be needing these." Her voice was like melting chocolate, thick, rich and tempting. "I grabbed them before I left." She gently chucked the others their passes and you could see that the guy called Kankurou was mentally kicking himself - hard. I smirked jumping lightly from the tree and joining my teammates on the frontline. The red head vaporised and reappeared next to the other three lightly catching his passport as he landed, visibly standing forward as the leader from their group. "...we're all being very hostile aren't we..." the comment seemed to shake everyone awake; I glanced at the cloaked figure who had made it. "I'm Moonshadow." She said sticking out a hand to me.

**Introductions – Sasuke – Chapter 16**

I took her hand and shook it slowly, her grip was bone breaking; and I realised she was proving her dominant stature over me. I wanted to return the power grip but I couldn't my hand had been fused into one single appendage, rending it useless.

"Sasuke..." I murmured, "This is Naruto, and Sakura..." I indicated to the blonds on either side of me, the dog growled at Naruto. Up closer the dog didn't seem like a dog more like a massive wolf; I shivered as it stared at me with piercing gold eyes a bright blue streak caught the light above its ear making me shiver again.

"Temari..." the blond girl with purple streaks said replacing Moonshadow's hand, "these are my two brothers Kankurou and Gaara." Her grip was weaker than Moonshadow's but tighter than mine, making me feel weak and unprepared. "I'm sorry for my brother's previous actions, he just paid for lunch." I sighed knowing exactly how he felt; at least he didn't have to pay for someone like Naruto, that boy was a bottomless pit. A black hole for food, I was surprised he wasn't eating now with the mere mention of food. The wolf barked, and Moonshadow nodded; looking off into the horizon.

"It was good wasn't it..." the wolf barked again nudging against Moonshadow's knee. "Oh right... right... hey stop pushing I understood you the first time..." she hissed at the wolf and nodded to the rest of us in parting. "Sorry me and Achilles have something to sort out." The wolf barked again, "what? So you want to stay here with them then?" the wolf whined, "then you are coming." She barked at him, turning lightly on her heels, and heading towards the residential part of town.

"Wish she wouldn't talk to the dog like that... Makes me feel like I'm missing something..." Kankurou said scratching at the purple markings on his cheek. I glanced after them the dog still barking and Moonshadow nodding in either agreement or knowing.

"... They remind me of Kiba and Akamaru..." Naruto murmured sending a glance after their retiring figures.

"Someone say my name?" Kiba said walking up casually to the slowly increasing group, Hinata and Shino following closely at his flank. He glanced at the three siblings and smirked extending a hand, "Hey I'm Kiba, this is Hinata and Shino. And this little guy's Akamaru..." He said grasping Temari's hand in his; they did the whole introduction thing all over again. "Where are you guys from anyway."

"The village hidden in the sands..." Kankurou murmured, we all nodded, "Hey why don't you come back to our hotel room; we can get to know each other better in comfort. You can tell us about the best places to eat round here..."He smirked and we all began following him the way Moonshadow had previously disappeared down.

**Remember we're Roommates – Moonshadow – Chapter 17**

I stood on the landing of our room with my head against the door the keys resting inside the lock. I was too tired to go in and too tired to stay out; I was stuck in the middle. Achilles was already asleep at my feet; he had been ever since I slid the key in. 'I hate the after math of a hunt.' I thought resting a hand beside my head, 'your bodies too tired to be screwed doing things...' The door handle suddenly seemed extremely heavy in my hand, I should've returned earlier when I was on a high from the chase; whatever, you can't help things getting in the way. I was just about to fall asleep on the door (impossible but I felt like it) when I heard Gaara, Temari and Kankurou returning home, followed by several others. 'Too much noise...' I growled into my brain shaking my head briskly, knowing that my animal instincts were still in play with my brain.

"Err, Moon you going in?" Kankurou asked his hand replacing mine on the door knob. I simply shrugged my body too tired to be bothered retorting to his comment. He sighed and twisted the door open, I straightened as my resting place slammed into the wall, Achilles huffed in his sleep and I kicked him in the rib cage. He opened a golden eye and stared at me pissed off.

"What was that for?" He barked, I groaned rubbing my face.

"Move you lump of fur." I barked back, the new people stared at me as I spoke wolf, "look the faster we get in the faster we can go back to sleep." He huffed before hauling himself up and into the room.

"You don't sleep anyway so what are you complaining about." He retorted getting pissy, I groaned and sat down on the bed. Achilles fell asleep as soon as he landed on the covers, and only then did I become aware of the hushed whispers coming from across the room.

"Sorry about the other language thing." I murmured rubbing my neck, I looked up at the group; half of them shrugged and the other half smiled with knowing. A boy with his own dog chuckled, stroking its ears.

"We'll get used to it." Naruto said, "Just like we got used to Kiba and Akamaru." He indicated to the dog boy with a smirk, Kiba smiled back at me and set Akamaru on the floor letting him roam. We watched as the tiny white dog bounded over to Achilles and jumped next to him on the bed. I sighed knowing when he woke up he wouldn't be happy with the puppy; I laughed, he was never happy with anything, never had been and probably never would. I moved from the bed to my seat on the window sill happy to have left it open for the fresh air. The group in the middle of the room sat down and began talking loudly about some of the best spots to go in the city. Ramen shops, parks, the library, schools and of course training grounds. I paid little attention to all of this as my body recovered; I was thinking of home the wide open fields and the lack of NOISE. I sighed, why did they have to yell over each other; they weren't deaf, so why? I looked out the window feeling stuffy in my cloak; there wasn't any breeze not after the rain. I stood up kicking my shoes onto the floor next to me; everyone looked up from their conversations and straight at me.

"Are you going somewhere?" Gaara asked looking at me with his pale eyes, I shrugged; he became irritated again his voice rising in pitch, making my ears lie flat against my scalp. "Moonshadow we're roommates. REMEMBER! I'd like to know if you're going out." I whimpered and shook my head trying to stop the ringing in my ears from his shrill voice. He took this as my answer and became exceedingly livid. "Moonshadow..." He growled, pacing slowly in the middle of the group, "TELL ME!" I growled baring my fangs, his voice was too sharp. "TELL MEW!" he was cut off by my body slamming head long into his, smashing him onto the ground. I was growling and panting, sounding more animalistic than human; my nails dug into his skin leaving deep gashes as he struggled to throw me, blabbering all the while. I finally won by straddling him, pushing my hands hard against his mouth.

"Finally..." I murmured, a cool breeze blew through the window swishing my hair and tickling my ears. "Shit!" I cried, the hood had blown off during the struggle and now everyone saw why I wore it.

**Good Little Wolf – Gaara – Chapter 18**

Moonshadow dived off me and straight into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. I lay there panting trying to believe what I had just seen; she had ears. Yes human ears but also two wolf ears further up, they twitched as she sat on me taking all my attention. Kiba was breathing heavily blood trickling from his nose, he was trying to get himself under control but it wasn't working very well. I smirked knowing that it would be hard for me to loose control like that.

"Did everybody else see them?" Temari asked sitting as straight backed as possible.

"Yes..." we said in unison, no one moved, it had been real. Moonshadow had wolf ears, and God she looked sexy with them. I tasted blood and licked my top lip, relishing the feeling of the hot liquid, but realisation soon dawned on me.

"Shit." I said tilting my head back, trying to get the nose bleed under control. "We should probably talk to her... hu?" we nodded and moved to the locked plain white door. "Moonshadow... It's ok... Come out..." I said, the door opened a crack but then slammed shut just as quickly.

"No! No... No... I'm not coming out!" she cried her voice cracked as she yelped at us, Kiba gently pushed me back taking control of the situation.

"Hey, little wolf, come on... No one here will hurt you... It's not a mob, just your friends..." Kiba whispered, dropping the volume of his voice to almost inaudible.

"Promise?" came a remark even softer than Kiba's, I glanced at him and saw an animal within him just like with Moonshadow.

"Promise little wolf..." he said, the door opened and Moonshadow tentatively stepped out. Her cloak was gone completely now and you could see a black tail lashing around her thighs. But no one cared about that, well I didn't anyway, because what caught my attention was the tear stained face that looked through thick curls. Well that and the blood stained white shirt which she had been wearing this morning. "Good little wolf." Kiba said gently walking her over to the couch; we all sat down around her concerned. I sat down next to her, and Kiba took the other side. Silence surrounded the group like a mist does a swamp.

"err... Moon, what happened to your shirt?"

**Not Normal – Sasuke – Chapter 19**

The blood covered shirt finally drew my attention. I realised that I had missed it because of her dark tail flicking slightly beside her; I could feel thoughts of what she could do with that tail coming to my mind, but I slapped myself quickly out of it. The great Sasuke Uchiha would not fall as lowly as these other men and think of this goddess in that way. But on the other hand...

"That's my secret..." she smirked, laughing at Kiba's puppy dog face, his bottom lip quivered making everyone laugh. "Who taught you how to do that face?" She breathed out between each laugh, they where all soft and musical like the early morning rain on your roof.

'_Don't think about her like that!_' I snapped at myself, but the images from this morning's daydream kept coming back to me. The woman with the soft laughter; which sounded like the rain, and the voice that was deep and sensual, almost like melted chocolate.

"That's my secret..." he smirked copying her earlier answer. She laughed again pulling lightly at the pointed tips of her ears, bringing forth more unintended thoughts.

"Fine... Fine, if I tell you, you have to tell me." Kiba agreed to this and indicated to Akamaru, who by now was in a deep slumber, curled against the dark wolf. He looked like a spot of dirt against the massive body of the black wolf. "Ah... I understand now. But the blood on my shirt is a completely different story. That can't be explained with a simple inclination of the head." She murmured tugging at the ruined cloth; I glanced quickly round the room hoping that someone else would say something, allowing me to remain inside my shell.

"We have time." Naruto said, leaning back into the cushions of the sofa, I thanked the gods that Naruto was a lazy bastard. A murmur of agreement swept through our gathering, no one had anywhere to be; or if they did they didn't want to be there.

"Alright..." she sighed, giving into our silent begging, she twisted her lips to the side in thought, as if what she was going to say was difficult to explain. "As you could've already guessed I'm not 'normal', and because of this I have different needs to the rest of you. One of them is the fact I have an acquired taste... I mean I can eat cooked or store brought food, but I really do prefer the fresher option..." She trailed off with a roll of her head, back towards the two dogs.

'Fresh? What does she mean by fresh?' I thought, starring back at the mortifying shirt, "Oh..." I realised aloud, she meant living animals, which did explain the state of her shirt. She blushed deeply nodding at my thoughts.

"Wow... So you and the dog just... wow..." Naruto exclaimed scratching his head in amazement, he looked more confused than usual. Most of the Nins in the room where doing the same as Naruto had; simply exclaiming their utter surprise. Gaara seemed to be lost in thought while licking the corners of his mouth, he didn't seem to notice the trickle of blood running from his nose until it touched the tip of his tongue. Startled he dashed to the bathroom, locking the door firmly behind him. Kiba on the other hand seemed like he was hungry, an animalistic looking coming across his red triangle face; I sighed, it was time to feed the dogs.

"Kiba!" I barked startling him out of his daydreams, and gaining his attention at the same time. "You hungry boy?" I asked sounding like one of my fan girls with a small irritating dog. He bit his lip with his canine, not wanting to admit that the thoughts of blood and animal meat where bringing him a sense of need, for food.

"Uh... Oh... Yeah, as long as you are the one paying Sasuke." He smiled evilly and I knew that I would end up paying anyway. Naruto perked up then smiling sadistically at me, everyone looked up. "So Sasuke how much money are you going to fork out for us to all be able to eat?" Kiba said draping an arm over my shoulder; I shivered feeling my wallet suddenly much lighter than usual.

"Come on then..." I sighed heavily and directed all the leaf Nins out of the sands room. "Do you guys want to come as well? I guess I'm paying..." I queried, they shook their heads. Gaara came back from the bathroom looking agitated, but also hungry at the same time.

"No thanks we all ate earlier." Temari said before Naruto yelled at me to move it or lose it. I allowed myself to be dragged from their room, Moonshadow smiling like the goddess she was. She gave me a small wave as I left her sight; the door still hanging wide open on its hinges.

**A meeting – Moonshadow – Chapter 20**

I watched as the local Nins rushed from the room dragging Sasuke and his wallet with them. I gave him a small smile and wave as parting thanks, before leaning back into the couch content for the first time in a while. It was nice to meet someone like Kiba, someone who understood the fear of being mobbed or trapped. It had happened before, when I was little, but my memory of the event was hazy; although the main thing I can remember is just constant fear and people screaming...

~Flashback – 13yrs~

_The small child lay curled in the corner of the house, her clothes tattered and torn; tears stained her face. This was the image of fear and poverty, but she wasn't poor quite the contrary actually, but she didn't know this. The small runt of a wolf beside her quivered, the heavy footsteps of the searching crowds outside made both beings hush their sobs. The girl's tail twitched along with her ears; this was why they were hunting her, but she fell asleep with her small companion unafraid as long as he was there with her. A mutation to a blood line and look at the mess it can cause. The tortured bodies of her family and relatives lay in the square waiting for the demon to come out and face its fate. But this three year old child wasn't ready to die and the mother of the runt wolf wasn't going to let either of her children die without fighting for them first. They curled together waiting for evening to fall so that finally after three fear filled days they could make their escape; into the woods, into nature, into nomad's land, into the safety of mother earths awaiting arms._

_The door to their hideout opened and a young woman wearing a blood red cloak entered; glancing suspiciously over her shoulder. She leant down and kissed the head of each before removing a pendent from around her neck, the blood red sash from her waist and the cloak of red from her back. She wrapped the sash around the child's waist and lay the cloak over her sleeping form. She was the hope of millions, yet wouldn't be for some time hopefully._

"_Take this with you." She said to the wolf speaking the language of the old, and handed the pendent over reluctantly. "Leave it at Konohoa with a letter explaining everything. When you die pass this information on to her, she mustn't know what happened here, not yet anyway. She mustn't die, she must be strong; train her in the way of the ninja. Try and reach the hidden villages so she can train, but make sure she never takes the cloak off no matter what. She is the princess of our clan and country, even at this age; so she needs to survive. Take care of her my friend, may the three of you be watched by the Gods and protected by Gaia..." The two held onto each other for one last time before finally parting ways, forever. The small child, even in sleep, hung hopelessly to the heavy coat of the small black wolf. "At least she will have a friend when we pass on." And with that the woman drew her gold sword and flew out into chaos bellow, supposedly never to be heard from again..._

~And back to reality~

"Moon!" Kankurou waved his hands in front of my face, "Moon!"

"Uh... Oh... Kanku, did I dose off?" I looked up at him scratching behind my ear.

"So the day dream queen finally decided to wake up." Gaara said, for the first time in a while smirking at his insignificant joke. His canine teeth flashed in the afternoon light, they where pointed like a dogs but much smaller.

"Oh... How long have I been out of it?" I asked stretching, his smirked widened, and my neck ached like hell so I ended up guessing a fair amount of time.

"Oh only a couple of hours... we tried to bring you out of it with random comments. But you still didn't look like you'd wake up." He laughed being joined by Temari and Kankurou. They stopped when a knock at the door interrupted them. Achilles growled from the bed groggily.

"Morning mistress..." he greeted me and I scowled.

"It's early evening Achilles..."

"Miss Moonshadow, may I speak with you?" a messenger from the Hokage murmured shuffling at the open door. The boy wasn't old enough to be a fully fledged Nin but still old enough to need money for his mother and family.

"Of course." I nodded my head at my roommates before skulking out of the room after the boy. "What is it?" I sounded irritated, although I was simply still half asleep.

"Miss Moonshadow, the Hokage heard about your unfortunate incident with the hotel. He has offered that you and your companions come and stay within the Hokage's abode. There will be twenty-four hour service to your room and you and your friends will be allowed to use the training grounds..." I looked back through the half open door, the three sand siblings relaxed on the couches chatting quietly about the other Nins we had previously met. Gaara looked annoyed at something, but I shrugged it off as him just being sulky.

"I shall talk to them about it... If you will excuse me a moment." I ducked back into the room and explained the offer to the other three.

"WHAT! Are you serious, we can stay at the Hokage's for free, with service and access to the training grounds!" Kankurou cried, he had begun rushing around the room packing everything into his suitcase.

"Why did you even say you'd come discuss it with us? Get out there and say yes!" Temari yelled pushing me out the door; Gaara had retreated into the rafters from the crazed force of his sister and brother trying to pack.

"Gaara!" I cried, asking him for his opinion. He nodded furiously and held on for dear life, as Kankurou chucked a pile of clothes through the air to Temari. "I think they'd enjoy that very much. We will be there in a few minutes." I murmured to the messenger boy, removing a letter from my back pocket. "And if you wouldn't mind, could you please give him this." I handed the envelope over to him with a few loose dollars; he smiled as he saw the money.

"Miss, I do get paid for this job." Even though he said this he stuffed the extra cash into his pocket. I'd offered it to him, only right for him to keep it.

"I know that... But I need you to be swift delivering that message, and the other one. It seems my companions are more excited about this than I am." I sighed, hearing Gaara curse at Temari for hitting him in the face with a bag, "maybe too excited..." I murmured and the boy laughed before dashing towards the stairwell beside the elevator.

"Moon, come and pack." I groaned knowing that it was going to be done too quickly for my liking.

"At least you'll be able to train for the exam now." Achilles smirked shuffling out of the room, dropping my bag at my feet. I sighed thanking the God's that my wolf was smart enough to know how to pack one of these bags; there was no way you'd ever get me back in that room, not now anyway.

"Yeah, but you know how I feel about me competing in it." I growled kicking lightly at the side of the soft black bag with my shoe. Of course he knew, but that never stopped him from trying to get me to join in.

"Oh for Gaia's sake I know that, but still maybe one year you should." Suddenly Gaara fell backwards through the open door way under the weight of several over sized suitcases. We stood over him worrying internally, he flashed us a smile and then began removing the luggage that covered his body.

"Nice to know Temari packs light." I murmured walking towards the stairway myself.

"Most of it is Kankurou's." He puffed, dragging the suitcases to the elevator shaft. "Aren't you going to take the elevator, instead of all those stairs?" There were a LOT of stairs; 1204 to be precise {I had counted them on my way up}, but elevators freaked me out. I mean what would happen if it broke while you were in it a shiver ran down my spine at the thought of it.

"See you at the bottom." I smiled at Gaara as the door opened for him and I dashed off down the stairs, the light bag slung over my shoulder. I was taking them five at a time not wanting the elevator to beat pure human speed. 100 – 160 – 399 – 500 – 897 – 1003 - 1119 – 1200... I dived out of the stair well door just as the elevator opened, letting Gaara step out dragging the suitcases behind him. "Come on Gaara, do you want to get there at midnight!" I called behind me dashing out the open front doors, after dropping my keys on the reception desk. I heard a grunt from behind me and I broke into a smile as I jumped up onto the rooves and towards the Hokage's mansion...

**{Hey, sorry I haven't commented in awhile but most of this stuff is explained. But yes all the characters are OOC in this book I mean I tried to get them to stay in character but it couldn't be helped, and Gaara's a bit weird. Oh right back on track... Moonshadow had her first flashback this chapter (20 =D plus the 12000 word mark) and I was just curious if you wanted more of these or not... So if you could review on that and the rest of the book that would be a whole lot of help... Also if anyone else has any ideas that they might want to see in this book I'm open to suggestions... Although I do have my own story line to follow it would be nice to add some mini climax's during the story, for entertainments sake of course... Until the next Author's note, Chio - Author note}**


	3. Chapter 21 25

Daughters of the Wolf Moon ~ Chapters Twenty-one to Twenty-five ~ Story 1

**Little Flower with Power – Gaara - Chapter 21**

I barely managed to make it all the way to the Hokage's place, the weight of the suitcases seemed never to let up and when I reached the great oak gates where Moonshadow was waiting I realised why.

"Oh fuck the both of you!" I cried at my older siblings, which had both taken a ride on the suitcases and made me do all the work. Temari just smirked at me and Kankurou looked nervously at his feet.

"It was her idea." He mumbled rushing past me to join Moonshadow waiting at the gate. Which opened almost immediately, the messenger boy from earlier glanced around quickly and then smiled at Moonshadow; she nodded at him, acknowloding his existance, making his smile only widen.

"Miss Moonshadow, the Hokage welcomes you and your friends to his humble abode. And whatever you said on your letter he agreed to it and said to give you these." He handed over a reel of keys to the patiently waiting wolf girl; she took them and stuffed them within the folds of her cloak, which she had put back on. "He invites you all to have tea with him in the west wing." Moon thanked the boy and handed him a few rolled bills, he looked at them and then dashed off; probably to tell his family about his wondrous payment. Moon slung her suitcase over her shoulder by its strap and walked calmly through the gates, followed faithfully by the rest of us.

"Don't get lost." Was all she said as we went through the plain wood doors, the hallway was simple... Everything in the house was simple, it wasn't as extravagant as I'd expect from a Hokage but they said there was a training arena, which was all I wanted. She lead us expertly to the west wing of the building and through to a small room. She set all our stuff over on the side of the wall and knocked lightly at the door.

"Come in Miss Moonshadow." It was a rasping old voice, eaten away by time, knowledge and age. She double checked that we were all here and then hustled us into the room like a mother would her troublesome children.

"Lord Hokage-sama..." she bowed deeply and then went over and embraced the old man. We all stood awkwardly as the two hugged, not only where we standing in a room fit for that of a studious man we were from a enemy country from across the way; even though the allience stood it was uncomfortable to be there.

"Ah, Moonshadow how long has it been since I last saw your beauty grace my town?" Moon sat down across from him and indicated for the rest of us to do the same. "I'm positive the last time I saw you you where still clinging to that she wolf of yours."

"Ah yes, Wolfgang was with me the last time. But now it has come to that unfortunate point in life where she has passed on to the next." The Hokage nodded and clasped her hand in his own.

"I'm sorry about that... But as you said to my friend, death is always there, don't shun him for he will one day come for you. Instead welcome him as a friend and your life will be long and fulfilling." The two smiled at the memory of the words. "Ah... but enough about the past, tell me about the present. It's hard not to go past the three strong sand Nins sitting next to you..." he turned to us and smiled broadly. "Tell me about yourselves." Moonshadow poured out the tea and waited patiently as we explained why we were here and answered the old man's never ending questions.

When the clock struck ten in the evening the old man leant back, content with his gathering of information. A smile played across his face, as he looked between the five of us. "It is good to know that Moonshadow has companions staying with her. Usually she is alone, and that is not the life for one her age."

"Yes, but to my dismay they will become simple beings in a few months. I shall forget all connection to them... Well for a few hours anyway..." She said leaning back also, her hand aimlessly running along Achilles back.

"What?" the three of us spluttered out looking stunned, the biscuit I had just bitten splattered across the table. The Hokage laughed and light his pipe, thick grey smoke trailed into the air.

"So you finally accepted the offer of the Chunin exam?" She nodded, removing a scroll from within the folds of her cloak.

"You didn't give me much of an option Hokage-sama; I mean this invitation to judge the finals... Well who could refuse that offer, and fully signed and sealed by the Hokage himself." A sigh of relief swept through me, I released my iron grip on the table edge and my sand settled inside my gourd.

"So you're going to be watching the Chunin exams." I exclaimed relived that she wasn't completely leaving us.

"Yes, although from what your previous letter told me I'll have to wait a few months. Isn't that right Hokage?" He smiled at her and then at the rest of us.

"I won't reveal anything with competitors sitting within earshot, Miss Moonshadow. But yes... My intentions were to try and keep you in our village for as long as possible, if that answers your question?" Moon looked at the old man aghast, before sighing and standing to leave.

"You are as mischievous as ever my friend. But it is late and tomorrow my friends here have a big day. Good night Hokage-sama." She bowed again and lifted the dead weight of Achilles – who had fallen asleep – into her arms and left with us trailing behind.

"Goodnight my little flower." I heard as the door closed behind us. Moonshadow lead us swiftly through half the house and then down to the first level. Before stopping at a door, she shifted the weight of the sleeping wolf onto her hip and slid the key into the lock. The door swung open and she indicated to us with her foot.

"This, my friends, is where you will be sleeping."

"And you?" I asked curiously, she smirked as the others brushed past us.

"I don't sleep my sand wolf... And now that I think about it neither do you... Temari, Kankurou goodnight, Gaara do you want to come with me?" she gave me a look of pure mischief and I couldn't help but nod dumbly, still lost in thought.

'_So I'm her sand wolf... Cool... But what does it mean, does she consider me a friend or an enemy... Could you even call her my family, GOD know she's got me confused!_'

She waved goodnight to the other two and dropped Achilles onto a nearby chair. I gave her a questioning look. "He'll find us if he wants to." She said walking off down the corridor. We continued to walk for several metres before she turned out the back door. "Try and keep up." She challenged jumping into the trees, making me chase after her.

We were running, I had no idea where to, but God it was so good to get out of a building and feel free. She was making my adrenaline pump hard as she teased me by letting me get ahead before dashing forward cutting me off once again. We leapt off the ground sometimes, taking to the closely spaced trees. Suddenly I felt soft tingles running through my feet as I ran, like someone was running their fingers over the soul of my foot. Moonshadow's chakra was small but you could feel it when you got really close, it seemed to be animalistic, handing that feeling on to anyone around.

"We're here." She puffed, her chakra disappearing once again. Although now that I'd felt it, it was easier to pick up. She was hiddening it deep inside herself, so as to make others think she was nothing but a peasent without any power. It was a good trick and hopefully one day she'd teach me it.

"And where is here?" I looked around but all I could see was a sports arena like building in front of us.

"The arena of the final Chunin exam... Don't you want to get some practise in?" she asked dangling the ring of keys from her finger.

"Of course!" I cried, practically screaming for her to hurry up. The key clicked in the lock and the two heavy iron doors swung open, revealing the place of our final challenge. And to tell you the truth it wasn't that impressive, a stage had been set up towards one end with several chairs. This was probably for the Hokage and our sensei's to sit in. Like I said not that impressive, the thing that was impressive though was Moonshadow standing in a shaft of moonlight her head tilted back with her cloak wrapping around her legs, a goddess in mortal form...

**A Kiss with the Rising Sun – Moonshadow – Chapter 22**

Moonlight swirled through large windows inserted into the roof, they would also let enough light into the arena during the day, without the need for artificial lighting.

'_So he had remembered my dislike of them then._' I thought gently undoing the chord of my cloak; it fell, pooling around my feet. I was awoken from my thoughts by a small squeak from behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see Gaara with his head tilted back holding his bleeding nose. "Oh my, Gaara are you alright?" I asked removing a handkerchief from my pocket and handing it to him. He looked at me sideways and rolled his eye.

"Yes... only a little bit of blood..." He squeaked his face growing as red as his hair, I sighed and began pacing the arena waiting restlessly for his nose to stop bleeding. "Sorry about that... I hope your still in the mood to spar?" He asked offering me back the blood covered handkerchief; I shook my head and curled his hand around the offered cloth.

"I may like blood Gaara, but I think you should keep yours to yourself." He shrugged and stuffed the now deep red cloth into his back pocket. "Come on now my little sand wolf, show me what you've got." I beant low to the ground taking an awkward wolf like fighting stance; it was then that he seemed to notice the two slim swords hanging beside my waist.

"You aren't going to cheat are you?" he raised his eyebrow indicating to the sword that clanked on the ground.

"...No... But only if you don't use your sand..." I breathed out inbetween hysterical laughter.

"I can't control the sand... It's automatic..." He whined, of course I knew that but hopefully he would try to convince me otherwise.

"Fine then here is the one rule with our little spar." I moved onto the edge of the stage, spreading my hands wide as if I were the Hokage. "Any weapon can be used, blood can be drawn. But death is not allowed." I smirked stepping back. He redied himself for my attack concentrating whatever sand he had to the outer edges of his gourd. I attacked from my uplifted position, drawing both swords as I arched gracefully down. His sand spread around him in a large dome, but I was faster than the supossed defence. My sword slashed through the uproar of sand slissing the outer layer, of what I believed to be skin instead it was his ingenious invention, the sand armour. I hung easily upside down from where his sand had caught my ankle, I felt like a fish on a line but without all the flailing about uselessly.

"Told you I couldn't control it..." he murmured paceing in front of me, as I began to concentrate my chakra to a position in the room, my goal to apperate to it. "But now I have the advantage.." He blabbed on, smirking, he turning back to me; but I wasn't there, I hadn't been since he turned his back. He glanced around while his sand remained confused, struggling to come to terms with what had happened. He turned quickly on his heels searching for me, but at this very moment I steadied my sword and swung foward. "GAAA!" he cried as the cold steel of my black smokey sword finally sliced through the soft skin of his cheek; the scent of blood immediatley filled my nose, tempting me with its promise of filling my near empty stomach.

"What advantage..." I whispered into the shell of his ear, making him shiver. I smirked against his neck before reaching up with the tip of my tongue and licking the open wound, my 'hunger' getting the best of me. His blood tasted of sand but also sweeter than most other peoples. It had the copper taste of blood as well as a hidden taste of dark, dark chocolate; this sent my sences into overdrive, I thought I would devore him if I wasn't still half - human.

"Ah!" He gasped withering against me, his sand grabbed me around my waist throwing me hard against the wall, knocking me breathless. He turned around his hand against his cheek, blood trickling from his nose and the wound. I stood watching him, before shaking my head clear from the daze of being smashed against a wall, and came over. The fact that I could turn him on merley by tasting him amused me.

"Look at yourself Gaara, you're a mess." I murmured wiping my sleve across his blood covered face only to stare at it intently as the clear skin became awash with crimson once again, "Come... We'll get you cleaned up..." I gently took his one good hand {well the one that wasn't holding his cheek, and covered in dripping fresh blood} and lead him around the back of the stage, towards the bathroom. I dragged him straight into the girls, despite his protesting, and turned the faucet on.

"You don't have to do this..." he whispered no longer protesting as I began wiping the blood from his top lip.

"Your such a child..." I murmured back, rinsing the blood from the cloth, soon the cut on his cheek had stopped bleeding and he was looking better already; although still pale from blood loss. I glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed, it was already 3:45 in the morning; the sun would begin to rise, as would the rest of the village, in a few hours. "Gaara, do you want to go and watch the sun rise?" I asked shuffling, my plan was to treck back home but by the time we'd get there everyone would be up and questioning. I lead the confused Genin up onto the roof and across to the precarious edge.

"Why are we watching the sun rise?" Gaara asked, but he still lay down beside me.

"Just to watch..." I murmured and leant back soaking in the elemental chakra the sun emitted. I felt his eyes on me, watching as I relaxed into the cold roof.

"Just... to... watch..." He ran each word around his mouth, before pulling me onto his lap and pressing his lips to mine. I jumped, scrambling off of him and before vaporising into the early morning...

**This Feeling – Gaara – Chapter 23**

She had evaporated, I sat feeling something undescribable in my chest as the sun rose further into the pale blue early morning sky. After being hurt by so many people this was the final blow. I stood and began to trudge back to Kankurou and Temari; hoping they could help me, although I highly doubted it.

'_Why did you let your gaurd down? Why did you fold so quickly against her charm? Why do you even care?..." _Silence filled my mind as I realisation dawned on me about why I cared so much about the girl. "You like her..." I sat down under a nearby tree and rested my head in my hands, this was now something I couldn't go to them about; well not without riticule. "You don't just like her Gaara my friend. You love her..." I grimaced, the last time I had loved someone they had tried to kill me; they didn't sucseed because the next moment before I had any time to react they where dieing by my hand. I was frustrated now, not only with myself but with her as well. Why? Well she couldn't have just turned me down lightly. Nope, she had to evaporate, leaving me kicking myself. Well maybe she'd come back, I mean I still wanted to train with her...

*~~~ Two months later ~~~*

{One more until the exam... Tension is building in the city and Gaara or Moonshadow haven't been seen at all during this time. People are starting rumours about the two of them and what has happened... Sasuke is ignoring all the gossip and has started hanging out with Naruto just a little bit more than usual... Sakura is jelous and still obsessed with Sasuke, while Kiba, Shino and Hinata seem to be the only ones acting normal around here... Hey but these are just observations...}

I was sitting in the middle of the examination room; my body ached from constant chakra release and physical wounds. For two months I had been training myself, for two months I waited for her return. I was exhausted, in pain and still kicking myself, I hadn't eaten or relaxed this entire time. I couldn't stand any longer and the self inflicted wounds where begining to get infected, which just made them even more painful.

"Gaara..." It was a soft cautious whisper like anything louder would force me to murder the speaker, I looked up, but I was too exhausted to reply. "Oh my kleiner Sandwolf, what have you done to yourself?" I whined and curled around my gourd on the floor, not wanting her to see the blood that had begun to pool around me; there was no way in hell I'd ever forget that voice though, she had come back. The shadows to the side of the stage shifted and a black cloaked figure came forward, her steps where light but swift. I couldn't see her face but the worry in her voice and the way she seemed to be running towards me, convinced me that she cared what happened to me. "Oh kleiner Sandwolf." She knelt down beside me, pulling me gently up into her arms, her breath melting the cold feeling that had over run my body.

I whimpered curling closer against her; the scent of rain and warmth hit me full force and I whined again. She pulled the gourd from my arms and lifted her hood, her eyes where tear stained and slowly more began to fall as she looked at the whimpering mess the great Gaara of the Sands had become. Gently she held onto me, afraid of letting me go. but I wanted her to hold me tightly; she wouldn't though, she held me like I was glass and about to break. I settled the sudden urge to scream at her for leaving me like she had, for causing all this pain and for destroying two months of my training and life. But then her arm bumped the cut on my side.

"Gah!" I cried flinging myself from her arms and across the room; trying to hold the tears and blood that were trying to flow from me. Suddenly she was next to me {I had forgotten how fast she was, or maybe I had slowed} a hand gently tugging the blood staind cloth of my shirt up.

"Oh for the sake of all that is right... Look at what you've done to yourself..." She didn't seem angry at the massive gash down my side, blood begining to drip from it once again, just annoyed that I'd been the one to do it to myself. "Um alles willen, das in dieser Welt gut ist. Ich bin für das Lassen Sie mag das traurig, ich bin traurig für als nicht hier sein, ich erforderlich war. Ich bin für alle Schmerz traurig, dass ich habe verursacht meinen kleinen Sandwolf…" The German words confused my already muddled mind and I whined for her to explain, not trusting my mouth at this point in time, just incase I said something that made her leave me alone on the floor once again. "Basically my little sandwolf, I was saying I am sorry for leaving you and causing you pain that you tried to destroy with physical force." She leant foward and lightly brushed my cheek with her soft silky lips.

"I'm sorry too..." I murmured trying to tug my shirt back down to my belt. "I shouldn't have done what I did..." She smiled sadly, pulling me closer to her. Holding me against her, she purred lightly as I nuzzled deeper into her neck.

"I didn't mean to act the way I did, it was foolish of me... I was just not expecting that kiss..." She leant forward and kissed each one of my cheeks, before finally leaning up slightly and kissing my lips. I grabbed the back of her head, wringing my fingers through her long dark locks; deepening the kiss, and nibbling lightly on her lower lip silently begging for enterance. A deep growl rose from her throat, and she pushed me off her, holding her mouth and slowly shaking her head. Her eyes had changed from lush green to a dark hungry wolf like gold.

"What... What's the matter?" She looked up at me and nawed on her bottom lip, her canine teeth poking the skin bellow it.

"Sorry... It's... ARH!" She cried out in frustration, throwing her head agianst my shoulder adn bruising my collar bone, "you know I've got this whole anamalistic side to me... Well when it comes to this sort of stuff, it shows itself..."

"What do you mean?" I cradled her against my chest, my chin resting on her head.

"It means I have to be careful... well to put it bluntly when in a relationship I get a bit... Dominating..." She choked slightly on the last word, making me shiver. I knew now why she had pulled away from the kiss just then. But I was still confused, what did she mean by dominating; and why did she get to dominate over me. I was the male, I was the taller {just} and I was the older; although only by a few months. I should've been the one dominating her.

"So does this have anything to do with you evaporating after I kissed you earlier." She smirked and kissed my noes again.

"Well yes, and no... earlier I was startled and needed to think about what would happen if I started a relationship. The thing is whenever I start a relationship with someone, they end up dead... And I was afraid how to continue with it when my anamilistic side raised its head..." I stared intently at her for a few seconds before shrugging. I didn't care that she had run off now; because at least I knew she felt the same way towards me.

"Wonderful..." I murmured kissing her forehead, she whined nipping my bottom lip before drawing me back into a kiss. This time I was the one to ruin the moment, my stomach growled for my attention; after two months of being ignored, it was really pissed off. "Eh... How about we go and get something to eat?" She looked up at me, the gold hunger still evident in her eyes; she nodded but dragged me back to her when I began walking towards the exit.

"Not so fast my little sand wolf, the cut on your side needs to be attended to..." I sighed but didn't resist as she dragged me back to the girls bathroom; forcing me to sit on a bench she removed a small pile of herbs from her cloak and pushed the plug into the sink. I watched the steam rise forming whisps against the cold glass of the mirror. "Take the shirt off." she instructed not looking up from her chore; her hands stripped the plants of their leaves as I reluctantly removed my shirt and placed it beside me. The cut was thick and deep, she gently probed around it to test exactly how sore it was. I cried out with each light stroke of her fingers over my inflamed skin.

"Please stop..." I grabbed her hand as tears began to blur my vision. '_Don't cry... Don't cry... Don't cry..._' I chanted in my head, taking a few deep breathes; before turning back to my nurse.

"...Don't hold your emotions in Gaara, you'll burst..." She sighed kissing my cheek, "the cut is worse than I expected... I want to know my sand wolf; Why did you do it to yourself?" She turned her back on me, I let the tears run down my cheeks as I curled up against the icy unloving wall. Hoping that it would provide the usual comfort I recieved from my family.

"Because I was confused... You left me sitting on a roof, alone, rejected... The pain just wouldn't go away, I tried everything, but nothing worked... So I gave in and thought about destroying myself physically so that it would match my mental self..." I was crying harder and harder with each word, I was shaking uncontrolabley. I felt something gently probe my side, but this time a warm arm came around and held me. "I don't think we could deal with a relationship right now... I'm too messed up, and you need time to adjust... Maybe after the Chunin exams we should try this again, but without the massive emotional breakdowns..." I held on to her, hoping she wouldn't agree with me. She pulled me closer and rested her head next to my ear.

"Gaara, you need to eat... The lack of water and food in your diet from the last two months has brought this on, not your conciounseness..." She whispered, her chakra started up once more and the cut on my side healed with a tingling sensation. "Come little one, lets go and find a place for lunch..." She looked at me tiredly and stood, I grabbed my shirt before wrapping an arm around her waist and leading her out into the dying day...

**They're Together – Sasuke – Chapter 24**

I sat with Naruto at his favourite Ramen stand, the place was packed full of people eating, standing and chatting. The noise level of just this one area would be enough to bring forward the council; but I didn't mind because for the first time in all his life Naruto was actually PAYING for something. I sighed, the waiter had walked briskly passed us several times and no matter what I did his attention was always drawn elsewhere. It was all because in a month the Chunin exams would start, and no one wanted to miss that.

"Hey isn't that Moonshadow and Gaara!" Naruto shouted over the noise, pointing at two figures one wearing a gourd and the other drenched in a black cloak walking, arms wrapped around each other, down the main street. I nodded solomnley, pulling Naruto after me as I dived after them; he didn't protest as he saw them duck suspisiously down a dark side alley.

"Come on..." I murmured yanking him after them, the two figures puased at an intersection of backallies and Moonshadow seemed to be laughing at something. She then grabbed Gaara's arm and leapt high above the rooftops, I growled following quickly after the two. "Keep up Naruto..." I hissed over my shoulder as the dobe began to slow, you could see by his face he didn't want to chase the almighty Gaara around town. I sighed, but he continued following faithfully after me.

"Why are we chasing them?" He panted as they dived back down to the street level.

"Because they disappeared for TWO MONTHS, and only decide to appear again now... Think about it Naruto, Moonshadow could be a really powerful Genin and she could have been teaching Gaara advanced moves." He knew that had nothing to do with it, and the fact we where tailing the two was more to do with me having an incredibley large crush on the girl; but I wouldn't admit that. Moonshadow finally slowed to a walk and lead us all down a side alley to a small cafe. Black and red roses blossomed all over a black iron fence; small black and glass tables under the shade of a willow tree greeted any customers. In all the time I'd lived in our village I had no idea that a place this black existed, and from the look on Naruto's face neither did he.

"Solana!" It was a very quite call as the two opened the iron gate and walked into the dark coffee shop. _The Rose Hollow_ the name of the shop caught my gaze and I smiled. It was a very quaint little coffee shop and from the way Moonshadow had just walked in and shouted a name, the owner was a friend of hers.

"Moonshadow!" the cry came from inside the store, the voice soft and chocolatey just like Moon's but slightly more gleeful, than the dark little emo's. "It is good to see you." I dragged Naruto in and saw the two women embracing, the owner of the store {Solana} was slightly shorter than Moonshadow, her hair was lush chestnutty brown that was tied up in a bun on her head.

Her eyes shone like syrup as they glanced over at me. Her smile was big and happy, but behind it you could almost feel the pain. She wore a tight chested black dress that thickened at the bottom, making her already welcoming attitude double. "I see you brought friends, so tell me them all and more... Lunch is ready, so now we can just relax and feast..." The joyous woman sat down at a heavily ladden table and beckoned to the four of us to join her. I gulped and shuffled slightly, the glare Gaara was giving me at that moment told me to run, run like there was no tomorrow. Because as soon as he caught me, there probabley wouldn't be one.

"Gaara..." Moonshadow hissed and wrapped her hand around his, "sit... It's good to see you two..." She murmured flashing us a smile, before taking a seat at the opposite end of the table to our hostess. "Solana this is Gaara, Sasuke and Naruto. They're all here to take the Chunin exam..." Moon grimaced at the mere mention of the challenge and so did Solana, but both laughed lightly at the others expression. Solana's laugh was one of pure glee, it was more of a hearty chuckle compared to the soft whisper that was Moonshadow's.

"So you haven't forgotten that year either." It was more a statement than a question and from the way Moon stared intently at her plate, it was obviously a sensitive subject.

"How could I forget, I still have the stupid fucking mark to prove that those bastards claimed me." Moonshadow's eyes suddenly began glowing red, but returned to green as Gaara unconciously stroked her hand. "Sorry, shouldn't get angry..."

"I know, but I mean, most of us where ready to tear them limb from limb until they brought out the cattle iron." Both girls shivered at the mention of the prod, "It was unfortunate, but we did save her."

"Yes... Even though we didn't get any thanks for it."

"Well what where you expecting, a parade. Moonshadow, there comes a time when you have to stop this hope of becoming welcomed by people. We both have to stop." At that point the other girl stared intently at Moon, begging her silently to do something. Moonshadow sighed and dropped her hood scratching her cheek, the black velvet of her wolf heritage drove my fantasies to a whole new level.

"Why won't you be excepted?" Naruto asked, looking only momentarily up from stuffing his face with the banquet.

"Because a while a go I almost died... Moon saved me, but I can no longer create Chakra, because that is what had to be given to satisfy death, instead of my life." She sighed rolling her sleeves up revealing several symbols burned into her skin. I shivered, I could never imagine life without having my Chakra or my Shiringan.

"I'm sorry..." I murmured prodding uselessly at the piece of fish on my plate.

"It couldn't be helped, I mean would you rather lose your life? Or your Chakra?" When she put it like that lossing your Chakra didn't sound all that bad. We continued to eat, sharing small conversations related to local sports teams, weather and of course people we had met or seen. By the end of the hour we where all stuffed and feeling pleased with ourselves.

"Moonshadow you must stop by again soon, and bring your stunning boyfriend with you." The two girls laughed, and Gaara turned so red his face had turned almost the exact same colour as his hair was.

"Ah... Oh, Solana you always know how to cheer me up." She said smiling at the shop owner, "And don't worry, I've got a feeling I'm going to be here for a while." Gaara shared a secret smirk with Moon before we all departed.

"So are you guys still staying at the hotel?" Naruto asked bouncing slightly with each step; this was one reason I prefered not to feed the dobe.

"No... We are staying with an old friend of Moonshadow..." This was the first thing Gaara had said since entering the coffee shop, and it brought all of us back to thoughts of the Chunin exam still to come.

"Moonshadow... Gaara... Naruto..." I nodded in parting at the three Nins before dashing of in search of Kakashi to see if I could get some more training sessions in before the competition...

**Desisions to Make - Sasuke - Chapter 25**

*~~~ One month later ~~~*

I was still seething a month after she had begun dating the crack using Gaara of the bloody sands. They could be seen everywhere, dragging each other about and sharing secretive smiles from underneath her glorius coat; not to mention her break down a few blocks from my building, which lead to a sever makeout session behind a not very concealing tree. Not that I was jelous or anything, because everyone knew that Uchiha's never got jelous...

"Again..." Kakashi said dragging Naruto to his feet, "Aim this time..." He murmured preparing his stance for the spar. I sighed, it was the fifteenth time Naruto had attacked Kakashi and the fifteenth time the one eyed shiringan user had successfully knocked him from his feet and onto the ground. I wanted to leave and do my own training; but NO... Kakashi wanted us all to spar with him, to show our skills. I sighed and stared back up through the foliage of the tree I was leaning against. They stood a few feet away from each other, Naruto breathing heavily from obvious chakra exuastion. He lunged again, and like before Kakashi flipped him to the ground with swift ease.

"Sensei... I really think it's time for a break." Sakura piped up, walking between the two fighting nin. We all nodded our agreement and stepped back from each other; ready to part our seperate ways.

"Before you all depart, I have something to give you." He removed three sealed envelopes from his belt and handed one to each of us. "This is your official invitation to the Chunin exam. This is a very serious event and some of you may die, so it is your own choice if you want to attend. I believe that each one of you is ready for it, but that is a battle for your own sub-concience to deal with.." I stared at the small envelope I now held in my hands.

'_Are you really serious about this Kakashi? Do you really believe that Naruto and Sakura are ready to kill for a spot in a school?_' I pondered this as I walked off from everyone else; once again no one asked where I was going, but their eyes spoke for themselves. It was time to pay my special spot a visit once again.

I sat alone, my mind still turning over about the dier conciquences of attending the exam; while my body melted into the grass above the revine. I wished that one day my mind would stop working and {because that was the only thing holding my spiritual and physical being together} I could sink inbetween the tiny pores of the Earth and be swollowed by its hungry mouth.

"To be swollowed by the Earth... What would my family think of me?" I asked the air above me, it didn't reply like usual, but knowing it was listening to what I said was a comfort.

"_What family? The only ones left are you and Itachi..._" came the whispered reply from my mind. It was true that I had no one but myself and my insolent brother who had run off after murdering everyone else in cold blood, but sometimes when I was alone, I could always pretend that they where all alive again. Holding me close to them, teaching me, and Itachi was long gone, sent to boarding school in some other country by a peeved father.

"Beautiful day isn't it?" I was startled into an upright position, my hand already twitching towards my weapons pouch. "I'm not here to fight you Sasuke, to tell you the truth I didn't even know you where here." I stared at Kiba as he came closer to me; Akamaru bounding happily around the over grown grass, his ears only visible above the bending stalks.

"Kiba..." I murmured returning to my peaceful cloud watching. "I should probably ask, even though I really don't care. What are you doing here?" He stared at me aghast, before shrugging my rudeness off and smiling once again.

"Shikamaru wanted to come and watch the 'troublesome' clouds." He said using hand quotations around the selected nins most descriptive word. "But we seem to have lost him along the way... Pity but obviously not much of a lose, 'cause we found you. Didn't we..." He plonked himself ungracefully down beside me and allowed Akamaru to sit down on his crossed legs.

"Mh... Must've been a real joy for you to discover me here, huh?" I said sarcastically, he sighed.

"Well beggers can't be choosers Sasuke... So what brings you out to this feild on such a wounderous day? I mean I would've thought you'd be skulking round the 'under belly' of our village finding another young girl to become one of your many victims." The tiresome vampire pun left me glaring at him for suggesting such a perverted and highly improbable thing. Just because I was pale and moody didn't mean I was another Edward Cullen for girls to scream about. And besides, I didn't sparkle when I went out into the sun light.

"Well Kakashi gave us the invitations for the Chunin exam this morning, and I'm undesisive about whether or not I should actually attend."

"You too huh?... seems like every rookie in the village is recieving an invitation to this thing. But I don't get it, why wouldn't you be going? I mean you're Sasuke Uchiha, you're the best at everything you do and can kick anyones' ass blindfolded with a hand tied behind your back. Why are you having second and third thoughts about this?" He cried at me, the suck up statement in the middle left me feeling idolised and suddenly made me realise what went through the heads of some of my fan girls. So that was how I lead them on, because they thought I was perfect, getting them to stop following me would be harder than I thought originally.

"Well I know the rules of entry for this contest. Your entireteam has to show at this thing, not just two memebers or yourself. And I'm a little worried about Sakura and Naruto... Please mock me later for having a caring bone in my body, let me finish first... You see Sakura's smart yeah but she hasn't exactly been miss confident at the moment and I'm worried she's going to pull back... Then Naruto, well... He's just an all round worry I mean what happens if when he kills someone, and there is blood on his hands, that the nine tailed fox reacts to it. The whole village could be in danger, and it could destroy him. And I mean he's such a happy cheerful person and death is a really REALLY big downer on peoples moods. What happens if he kills and then stops being himself, starts being really depressed and hides away from everyone?... like me..." I breathed out the last statement hoping he wouldn't hear, but knowing him he probably did and would use it against me later.

"Wow, you actually put a LOT of thought into this... I guess, sure all those things could happen but have you looked at this from a realistic point of view yet?" Kiba said lying back into the grass, I shook my head before staring across at his thoughtful face. He seemed torn between telling me what I wanted to hear and what would actually probably really happen.

"I tried but other view points, more drastic than realistic viewpoints, seemed more appealing than looking at it like that." he sighed and scratched lazily at the red triangle tattooed to his cheek.

"Look your guess is as good as mine but, really Naruto becoming depressed, I can't exactly see it happening. Sakura will follow you to the ends of the Earth and back, although she might actually be doing this test for her own personal goals and it has nothing to do with her obsession with you." I grunted, trying exceedingly hard not to chuck something at him for his remark. "Really their both going to come and do that test, and absolutley nothing will make them change their minds. Because Naruto is one, too thick headed to even consider it and two, he really wants to become the Hukage. While sweet little girly Sakura is trying to kick some butt and prove that she is not just a blonde steryeo type; who has nothing better to do than like boys and try to deside between wearing the short mini or the jeans... Sasuke they are both going for their own reasons, the same with you... And probably the same with all the rookies who're going to attend." Kiba finally finished lecturing me about not trying to be over protective of my teammates and we returned to our comftorable silence; which I really prefered more than listening to him rant on and on about something that I would have found out the next day anyway.

"Thanks for enlightening me Kiba." I murmured as we slowly meandered our way back through the forest towards the gate of the village.

The sun had desided that allowing us to lay in a feild all day would be uneventful {which it was} and began to set on us. Kiba had been the one that insisted we go back, because his mommy had set a curfew. That was the one thing I loved about not having worrysome parents, I could stay up or out as late as I wanted.

"Hey listen it was no big deal... Really..."

"I know, but thanks anyway." I sighed as he waved me off from down his street, the angry looking dog sitting next to the angry looking mother sent me escaping off in the direction of my own home. The idea that that could have been waiting at home for me terrified my inner child.

I sat silently on the front porch of my house, the small garden lights I had brought from some cheap store, glowed uselessly at the edge of my garden path. It was late, really late, really really late and for some reason I was still up, wide awake and sitting on my front porch. Suddenly looking at my life and how I lived it made me realise I was very very much alone. Even that creepy bastard Gaara from the hot and desolate sands had a family, and a girlfriend {even though she really should've been mine}; so why was I, Sasuke Uchiha, sitting alone on my front step with absolutley bloody no one. I really hoped that tomorrow Sakura and Naruto would both show up dressed and refreshed for a day of fighting and hard work. Because that Gaara guy was going down, I was going to make sure of it...

Sakata Bluemoon


	4. Chapter 26 30

Daughters of the Wolf Moon ~ Chapters Twenty-six to Thirty ~ Story 1

**The Chunin Exam - Gaara - Chapter 26**

Has anyone ever told the sun that it never could compare to my girlfriend as it rises over those perfectly formed emerald green farm trees. Even with its speckled pinks, blues, yellows and softly glowing violets that light the sky as magnificiantly as a stain glass window in a cathederal; the beauty of nature could never compare to the all natural beauty of my half-wolf, half-goddess girlfriend. The cloak of blood red she usually wore covering her faces and folded around her body, was let lose and allowed to whip around her back in the fresh breeze, the hood left to flutter behind her head like a giant butterfly of pure red. Moon's hair was waving softly, like a black velvet scraf of a greek dancer, in the fluttering morning breeze. I stood behind her trying really hard not to get in the way of her softly trickling river like locks, taken aback by the subtle beauty that was presented to me; just like it was every day and every night.

"You begining the Chunin exam today." she stated not turing away from the sun rise; the rainbow of colours that portrayed the sun danced in the corners of her eyes as she stood on the roof of the Hokage's mansion. It had become our ritual to meet at this very spot everyday as the sun rose; just so I could compare her mystical beauty to the suns common one {although it did inspire millions to paint scenes of sparkling colours and symbolism}. She knew I was doing so by the way I stood back from her, my eyes slightly glazed and mouth slightly open, like an idiot watching a magician perform; like my very pressence beside her could dull the overwhelming magic of the moment.

"Yes." I murmured faintly still lost, until finally she turned her body to face mine, she seemed distracted, far off in a distant memory of something; something like a sunrise, but maybe not quite as beautiful and perfectly serene. She usually looked like this in the mornings though and I blamed it on memories of sadder times and the insomnia that kept us both up for hours on end, never allowing sleep to claim our exhausted forms; but the insomnia thing, I really don't think either of us cared much about that, especially after years of having to sit through the endless nights alone.

"I don't want you to take it... Couldn't you wait until next year? I'm sure the others wouldn't mind waiting just a few months." she pleaded again, stroking my cheek, slowly waking to the morning of the day with the same thing she had been trying to get me to do for the last few days. I sighed and leant into the palm of her hand, not ready to speak for my tounge was lost in my own mouth.

I wanted to tell her everything and when Sabaka no Gaara says everything he means EVERYTHING. I wanted to tell her about the plan and what was going to happen, tell her to get out and save herself; save herself from the horror of what I really was, what I was going to do to this place. Tell her that I loved her, tell her that Orichimaru was going to destroy the entire village with the help of the sands {ok not sands, to be more specific almost our entire army, and ME}; but then orders are orders and no soldier disobeyed them {that is the number one rule of war}. No matter what, I was never going to ever betray my country; just so that my girlfriend would stop her never ending worries. Although it touched me deeply that she worried about me like that, I always got that warm fuzzy feeling people talk to you about whenever she did; and I knew that as long as she cared about me I would be safe, although I wasn't too sure she would be, or that I would be after she found out what was happening. Perhaps she would save me, just to destroy me herself for my lying to her.

"You know I can't do that. It was expressed by both my siblings that if I where to skip out on the exam they would turture me until the next years one came around. And you know neither of us want that to happen." The lie stung more than I expected, but some of it was truth; my siblings may not be the ones to turture me until the next years Chunin exam, but the higher ups would - mainly my oh so loving father. She sighed in resign, finaly, she was giving in and so softly, it felt like feathers being brushed over my skin, she kissed each of my cheeks and then my nose, it was like her greeting to them as the sun rose.

"Fine... Just be careful..." she made it sound like I was going to die as she watched. But I had sworn to myself and the Gods that if that happened I would come back just to tell her differently. Unrealistic I know but it was the only thing I could do to stop my worry for her well being; yes she may worry about me constantly, but I too worried about her in return and I believed my tiny whims where far worse than hers and more reaccuring.

"I promise..." I murmured onto the top of her head as I held her against me before dashing off to greet my waking siblings, and begin the final preperations for the exam adn the war. I knocked once before throwing the door wide, ducking as a kunai flew past my head; ignoring the shrieks of my only half dressed older sister I made no move to close the door.

"Gaara when you knock... WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE ANSWERS!" she screamed throwing herself back into the connected bathroom, dragging the door just enough to cover herself; like I hadn't seen it all before {well hers anyway - not my fault she forgets to wear more than underwear when walking round the house, filled to the brim with my sneaky traps and trigger systems... Like I said not my fault}. I grunted my reply, it was the morning of the Chunin exam and being late and unprepared was not on my agenda. Politeness and care could come into play later after this ordeal was over.

"Oh stop your complaining Temari, we're going to be late if you don't move your ass." I growled standing impatientley just inside the door, picking at the layer of sand under my nails, just like she did when she was impatient and waiting for me {except I could never get mine to go away}; she pouted but began to move slightly faster in getting ready, obviously going over a mental list in her head as she picked her way across the room. Kankurou sat silently on the bed in his usual post battle preperation; his puppet lay at his feet as he began to fix another knife to the hidden compartment under the bodies wrist, slightly irritated he had wasted one already and it hadn't been during a fight. Disturbing him now would end up with me dead and Temari screaming again, because she knew she'd be to blame if her youngest brother died under his older brother's hand {well older brother's puppet's hand}.

"Fine I'm ready to go." She sighed dragging her fan from the table and onto her back. The large metal frame diminishing her tiny body; compared to the strong metal her body, although deadly, seemed frial and spindly. Amazingly though her hard face still told the world {mainly the male inhabitants} that she was a woman of power, and not to be messed with.

"Excellent..." And that was the last to be said of it as we proudly made our way to the assesment building in search of the third floor door. Moonshadow stood silently at the end of the path at the gate moodily waiting for us to leave to head to our impending doom {as she would so cheerily put it}. "Are you going to be like this all day?" I moaned wrapping my arms around her waist, she sighed and hugged me back. Temari made a noise between a half snort and a cough; I knew I was being hypocrytical, because now if I didn't move, I would make us all late; but this couldn't be helped, if Moon was unhappy it would be stuck in my mind for hours and my participation during the exam would be useless.

"No... The exam goes for a few days, so I'll be like this for that long." I smiled and kissed her softly on her forehead. She was worrying for no reason, again.

"Get over it little one; we'll be fine, we're all very skilled and if anything happens we've always got your amazing healing skills." The others shared an akward glance that immediatly asked me about what had happened, but I shrugged it off they didn't need to know about the previous events and that was the way it would need to stay. "Come on let us pass, we're going to be late." She sighed but didn't let me go, "I'm guessing you're not coming with us then?" She smiled and tugged me through the gate followed by my siblings. We allowed her to lead us through the town tailing her like the lost children we where, a small smile slowly spreading across my inner self.

**The Janitors Closet - Gaara - Chapter 27**

"Come on Rookie bring it on." The obnoxious voice from the floor above set my jaw on edge. I hated people who thought they where better than others because they where older or at a higher rank than those around them. I had taken care of a lot of people like that, and so had Temari. People took one look at her during a fight and would always assume it was going to be easy, 'cause she looked weak. And then they ended up pleading for mercy and their lives once she had taken them down with minimal force. I on the other hand liked to play with my prey - I know it's sick and twisted, but hey it's what I like. Sometimes I'd let them think they're winning and bringing me close to death, and then I'll encase them in a sand coffin and turn them into pink and purple slushee. I'll explain what I mean later, but right now I should get back to what was happening around me. I snapped out of my thoughts in time to hear another voice say:

"Look we just wish to pass... Understand me..." A soft voice retorted I sighed when were things ever easy, we walked in on a team standing off against another which was gaurding the door to room 301. The door which we all needed to pass through, right strick that this was going to be easy {except Moon would scold me for killing people without the exam even starting - I loved her but sometimes a boy just needed to turn other contestants into giant bloody piles of goo}.

I recognised the opposing team with their backs to us as Sasuke, Sakura and the overly happy freak Naruto {I mean who could miss the bright blonde hair, pink highlights and the reversed chicken butt hairstyles of that team}; who even though his chances of entering the exam where suddenly coming into play and being challenged big time, was still a bouncing ball of sunshine and rainbows, that made me feel uncomftorble. Although the team that was creating havoc for them I didn't know at all, and had no intention of getting to know; unless of course I was beating them into a bloody pulpy slushee, and when I think about it further, even then the chances are quite slim almost impossible. Moon gave me a look to tell me she knew EXACTLY what I was thinking and should stop before she turned me into a bloody pulpy slushee.

"Hey Moon this isn't the third floor, so what's that door doing here?" Kankuro murmured into my girlfriends ear, I glanced suspiciously at the three Nins gaurding the door to the false room; silently I scanned the rest of the room, there where only two doors on this particular floor. The door at the end of the room stating _Janitor Closet_ was the one I suspected to be more than what it was giving off. I supposed it was a hidden stair well, concealed by a jutso to test the newer competitors of their power of observation and deduction. Well we passed that test pretty easily.

"Just move through the crowd as subtly as possible and meet us at the other end of the room." I comanded taking Moon's hand and dragging her through the thinner parts of the crowd. So that her cloak wouldn't get stood on and fall off, she had made it very very clear to me that if it was removed I would be to blame and she would destroy me piece by piece {while I was still alive and kicking, she had threatened to start with my less important body parts so my fingers, toes, feet, knees, elbows and my special friend. The threat had worked really well, and now if a crowd was too big or tight I had sworn to myself to carry her through it - if only to save a few parts of me}; I had known from earlier experience that she was very very serious.

"So you worked out their scheme also. Keep as many people out of the exam as possible, gives you guys a higher chance of success." I pinched her arm lightly making her squeak in pain. "Not nice Gaara." she hissed, squeezing my hand tightly. I smirked at her but didn't retort using physical attributes knowing she would kick my ass infront of all these people without a moments hesitation, and that wasn't a good image for me to start the exam with - _The Guy Who Got His Ass Handed to Him by a Really Weak Looking Girl_. Yeah great way to start my exam, no one would take my threats seriously if that happened; and that was one of my favourite things to do.

"Who said anything about being nice." I hissed back, tugging at her cloak hood; she hissed her warning once again, of course I knew what would become of me if I revealed her secret to this many people but still, it was fun to tease.

"Why are you still smirking, I thought you wanted to be the mysterious broody guy from the sands. Not this happy go lucky lad that's my boyfriend." She laughed twirling to a stop in front of the small door, I had to supress my urge to drag her into a soft kiss; very much like the ones we had been sharing for the past month. But I knew she'd slap me and call me some of her german words before she let me do that in this sercamstance. That was another reason I loved her, she understood my desperate need to be the dark Emo guy.

"Can I not be both?" I asked, gently she took my chin in her hand and shook my head {it had become her new way of showing me her feelings, sometimes it was weird to be played with like playdoh, but other times I enjoyed it emensly - is that really sick to say I enjoyed her little games and the way she played them... Deffinatley}. "Fine, do you know what the first test is going to be then?" The smile twitched across my face as she nodded my head in responce.

"A test." I chuckled softly under my breath, knowing she'd be smirking with satisfaction at that moment.

"No really, we all know it's a test but what kind? Stamina? Endurance?"

"No... It really is a test." I blinked stupidly at her for a moment. "Mmhh..." Her hand dissapeared into her hood, and I knew she was pinching the bridge of her nose in her usual sign of irritation. "A knowledge test. One on paper, one that needs pencils and erasers for."

"Oh... that sort of test... Can you tell me anything else about it?" I pushed, she sighed and shook my head once again. I knew why of course, she wasn't allowed to reveal any of the exams secrets, by orders of the Hokage {he'd been very stricked about it after he found out that we where dating, we wanted to tell him ourselves but somehow he already knew... Probably why he's the Hokage and we're civilians}. I sighed as the others arrived and pushed the door open just enough for one person at a time to squeeze through, while I stood making sure that no one else saw us heading in. Before I dashed in myself and headed up the last flight of stairs to our final destination. The Chunin exam...

**Stuck - Sasuke - Chapter 28**

I stood stuck infront of the offending nins, growling like Kiba did when he was pissed or didn't get his way {which was often enough for everyone to know his deep throated growl off by heart}. It was very anamalistic and the main boys goons seemed to shy away from me. Naruto and Sakura wheren't as visiouse compared to me but they weren't agitated by Gaara being in the room, although he'd seemed to dissapear into thin air - damn the bastard and all his stupid bloody magic tricks, bet you that was how he got to date Moon he must've impressed her with a simple dissapearing act.

"You're just a bunch of Rookies, why should we let you past?" the leader sneered, leaning on his left hand man like someone would a beam. The boy darted his eyes between his compossed leader and my really pissed off features, the fear becoming evident as his leg began to shake uncontrolably making a smirk want to spread across my face with just enough malice and irritation to scare him a tiny bit more than I already had done; but I remained compossed.

"So bloody what! We where invited to attend this exam and therefore we have a right to be here!" Cried Naruto trying to throw himself at the offending nin, his cry loud enough to draw a small crowd of curious bystanders to the show down. He seemed to sense my agitation as I glared at him, and backed off just a little bit; although his body stance remained ridged and ready for an attack, he must've known that was exactly what I wanted, just I wanted it for a completely different reason. I wanted to show everyone I was SASUKE UCHIHA great and powerful, someone not to be messed with; also I wanted to release some of my frustration from that Gaara guy and Moonshadow dating and flirting and... Another growl escaped my lips, well I was certainly animal enough for her.

"Have you not noticed yet?" I crooned, my eyes drifting slowly across the three nins before us; like a cooky cat eyeing of his prey before a strike."This isn't even the third floor... So why are you gaurding that door?" The three boys infront of me shared a glance that said everything I needed to know, making me smirk satisifying the need from earlier; now if I got to punch someone nice and hard I would be relaxed enough to take the exam in peace {well until I saw that Gaara guy again anyway}.

"You're only gaurding this door because that's what you where instructed to do. This is room 201 not 301, so all we can really ask you for is directions to the hidden staircase." Sakura said, finally catching on to my train of thought, although it may have been messy and wobbling all over the place. The three boys shifted uncomftorbly and then dropped the glimor that had been cast, the door at the end of the room shifted and a half hidden staircase was revealed. Naruto released a rushed breath and slowly turned away from the annoyance that had been so... well so troublesome {thank you Shikamaru for giving me nothing but this word to describe things with}; we slowly walked to the door cautious of the slight glares people where giving us, and as soon as we had calmly walked up the first few steps we broke into hysterical laughter. I think both the others where surprised I had joined them in the breakdown, but the way the boys had been looking at me I couldn't help it; I only wished I had a video camera with me, so as to save the moment for enternity.

"I can't believe they actually dropped the glimour." Naruto breathed out between giggles, "I thought they would've put up more of a fight." I regained my composure and led the others up the last few steps, thinking the exact same thing. We walked onto a landing that had a single room at the end, but now another obsitical stood before us. Kakashi, our sensei and master of our movements. I felt like groaning and just turning back then and there; he was obviously going to do one of his congratulatory speeches which would take FOREVER. But the elder simply pulled a smile behind his mask and gave us all an almost releaved and thankful thumbs up.

"Well done you guys, I never thought you would make it to the third floor." I stared at the door on the end of the hall, with 301 scribbled on the wooden hanging sign. Releaf swept through me as the realisation that I was going to attend the Chunin exam finaly seemed to sink in; Sakura and Naruto at my side {although they mightn't have been my first choice as team mates, they deffinatly had come along way from the two annoying little brats I had known before}, for the first time scince Itachi left I felt like grinning as Naruto always did. Big happy and delirious, that was exactly what I was feeling as Kakashi finished his speech. "I hope you all do well, good luck." He murmured dissapearing with a slight popping sound, leaving us all standing there once again alone in the walkway - no more motivated then we where when we first entered the building.

"We may as well go in." I murmured gently guiding the others towards the door.

"Not so fast Sasuke Uchiha!" We all looked up at the voice which had spoken/ screamed; a boy dressed completely in a dark green skin - tight jumpsuit and yellow leg warmers was now keeping us frozen in place. His eyes where bigger than Naruto's, but unlike the other boys bright blue his where silvery white and delirious looking, while his inky black hair was cut to form a bowl around his circular head made him seem rather out of date; the only way to describe him any better would be to say someone heading for an eighties disco that got really, really lost. "I Rock Lee, challenge you, Sasuke Uchiha, to fight me!" He cried leaping onto the balcony railing, pointing an acussing finger at my face. This was going to be a long day, and it wasn't even ten in the morning.

**Rock Lee + How to Not Get Your But Kicked and Lose All Self-Confidence in the Chunin Exam, All in Under Five Minutes - Sasuke - Chapter 29**

"WHAT! Why would you want to fight him? I Naruto Uzimaki am far more powerful than that mother fucking Uchiha over there. You cannot fight him until you've faught me!" Naruto insisted throwing himself forwards, I groaned at his stupidity and looked up at Rock Lee. This would not end well, especially if this guy had anything to do with it.

"Mr Uzimaki it is unyouthful to turn down any set challenges, so I will accept as long as it is alright with you Mr Uchiha." I grunted in response and indicated for them to knock themselves out, litteraly. Lee took on a serious expression and launched at Naruto, who was still standing there staring him down - judging him and forgetting his training about how to fight hand to hand/ foot. I rolled my eyes as the two launched into a fight; fists, feet and chakra where being released here and there, everywhere, it was not exceptionally good from either party. It was a battle that seemed to be leaning towards the success of Lee though, his technique was refined and Naruto's was sloppy, for he relied on his other skills more such as his increased chakra {to put it simply he wasn't good at. I sighed heavily, we where stuck again; this time by a boy with some serious taigustu moves. I was sooo dead.

Finally it ended with a swift chest, head kick by Lee; Naruto remained down, smashed against the side wall. Blood was dripping from a cut on his cheek and a fist shaped purpley yellow bruize was appearing on his jaw line, Sakura rushed to his aid. For the first time ever she was giving some concern to what happened to the blonde idiot, this was a really big surprise. I glanced at Rock Lee who was staring awe struck at Sakura, his look looked something like her own when staring at me. He suddenly rushed over to her side.

"You are truely beautiful, I am terrible ashamed to have kicked Mr Uzimaki's butt, even though he asked for it. For he obviously is someone special to you, I had no idea." The idiot began blathering staring into Sakura's eyes. I was about ready to retch, the way she looked at him so astonished and awestruck, really this was sickening.

"Ummm..." she began, but he interupted her with a single finger to the lips. He suddenly dropped to his knees and took Sakura's hand in his. Suddenly the idea of retching didn't seem so bad, this was a bloody love story tradgidy unraveling before my very eyes.

"Please Miss..."

"Sakura, Haruno Sakura."

"Miss Sakura Haruno, please be my girlfriend... I promise on the my honourable honour to protect you till the day I die." He cried leaping abruptly to his feet and dragging her to him.

"Oh, umm... Lee you're sweet and all but I'm interested in another person at the moment. Maybe, later on in life." She managed to get out, I had to give him points for enthusiasm and almost valient knight like statements from the fifteenth centurary. He could probably one day get a girl with those charming words of his.

"Alright Miss Haruno I'll let you pursue this other man, who ever he may be. BUT I promised to protect you till the day I die, and I swear that I will not break that promise. No matter what." He cried dragging her to his side, and doing the tradgicly desperate hero with his useless blonde heroine. I really had to intervine right then and there before he said he'd rescue her from a dragons lair if he had to, or if she asked him to take this favour as a sign of her gratitude... I don't know, but I had to stop this flash back to another time.

"I guess you want to verse me now?" I murmured, Lee nodded enthusiastically taking up his original fighting stance but now on the ground; leaving Sakura forgotten and left to tend to a bloodied Naruto, perfect, the diversion had worked. I initiated the fist fest, by dashing fowards and releasing a kunai from my grasp; the knife landed at the boys feet even though my aim was dead acurate, he had dodged the blade and made it look like he hadn't moved {surprisingly he was good, but he'd had a warm up with Naruto (if you could call it that) and I hadn't}. He leapt forward and landed blows to my side, I blocked most of his attacks and he blocked most of mine. He was about to deliver a devistating kick to my gut when I leapt high into the air, arching gracefully over him.

"Shadow leaf jutsu!" He cried {or something which contained those words}, I looked below me and there he was, hanging to me like my shadow. He grinned and I knew this fight was over. "Leaf windmill." He cried, well something along those lines; I couldn't exactly hear him because of the rushing sound in my ears, instead I was soaring across the hallway and ending up smashed against the wall crushing Naruto as I did. Lee landed gracefully before me and took up another stance.

"Lee enough!" we all looked past Lee at the giant tortoise that had apperated in the centre of the room, the great animal stared out on us all raising its neck to get a better view. "Enough." It said again, Lee stared at it a moment longer and a wisp of smoke twirled around its shell - back - home... whatever; we all watched in awe as a pop sounded and the smoke cleared, revealing a man dressed exactly like Lee, or was Lee dressed exactly like him? Well whatever the important things was the man and Lee looked exactly the same they could've been identical twin brothers {except for the massive age factor, God must've been like twenty years minimum - this new guy could've lived in the eighties which would explain the get up}. The man had been yelling at Lee while I was distracted with my thoughts about their strange way of dress swishing around my head.

"I'm so terribly sorry Gai - sensei." Lee cried bursting into tears, the older man procceeded to do the same dragging Lee into a hug.

"I'm sorry too Rock Lee, that was very unyouthful of me to do that." I stared at the two and couldn't help the hysterical giggles that where trying to force their way up through my mouth, I was forced to concentrate on a crack in the floor with my lips pressed tightly together.

'_I was beaten by THAT. The only person yet to beat me and it's a kid with identity issues and who's more high than Naruto. I mean come on people, what is the world coming to._' I thought regaining my composure, as the two decided on going to do some 'youthful' training.

"Did that really just happen?" asked Sakura, I glanced at her nodding solomnly, "Well you better hope he gets disqulified otherwise we're all stuffed." Naruto excitedly punched the air, even though his arm looked like it was giving him some serious trouble; meh he'd dealt with worse injuries from me, he would be fine in a few minutes.

"Believe it!" he cried making me roll my eyes for the {I don't know} fifteenth time that day. And with that said we all headed to the end door awaiting eagerly what was on the other side. Naruto pushed to the front of us and was the first to burst through the door, followed at a more lessurly pace by me and Sakura; the entire room turned and stared at us, with a look of pure and utter annoyance. I'd only seen a human being look at me like that once and that was Itachi, and it had nothing to do with the fact I'd shaved the cat or anything, deffinatly not.

'_This is soo not a great start to the exam._' I thought scanning the room for that bastard from the sands Gaara, hoping he'd give me some reason to scowl at the world for just a little while.

"Sasuke - kun!" A high pitched scream rang through the room and something heavy smashed into my back; deep blue sleeves {almost as dark as mine, but still slightly lighter} strangling my throat, preventing any chance of breath.

"Ino pig get off my Sasuke - kkkuuuunnnnn!" and here came the scream battle about who owned me {like I was an inanimate object and not a human being}, with me in the middle of the two of them and Naruto staring on with a look of complete longing. Who in hell would want THIS, two girls battling over you {litterly} and no chance of escape, please give me his life anyday.

"So my advise helped." A soft whisper came from my side as Ino and Sakura launched into another bitch fight. I nodded slightly at Kiba, Akamaru was sitting on his head in the most relaxed doggy position ever {actually scratch what I said about Naruto I really wished I was Akamaru, no girls fighting over him. And Kiba was a pretty awsome guy so no complaining about your owner being a complete jack ass}. Shino and Hinata stood close behind him, Hinata was shaking slightly as she tried to gather some of her courage to talk to Naruto, although we all knew she would faint before uttering a word; ah scratch that she can't even utter a sylable without almost fainting when around him.

"Great stuck again." I sighed, rolling my eyes and trying to unsucsefully seperate Ino and Sakura before they came to physical blows, no matter how entertaining it may have been to everyone else in the room.

**The First Test - Moonshadow - Chapter 30**

Three rookie groups huddled in front of the only door, probably awaiting the end of us all; Naruto was starting to act like the jerk he was and soon they would all pay for it. His loud mouth would be the death of every single nin in the room, as well as his stupidity, probably his only alright quality was his sky blue eyes that stunned and memorised any one staring into them for too long.

He also had a very short fuse, that ignitted quickly whenever Sasuke was around him; and of course he was, but the more experienced nin had his own issues to deal with. Two girls, I could only pick one out and that was Sakura, the other had the same blonde hair except shorter, and was wearing an almost matching blue female version of Sasuke's outfit; they where fighting around him as he tryed to control the screaming match by getting between the two girls. I sighed, if they wanted everyone to pick them off they should continue with what they're doing now; bloody idiots will be dead in the second round of the test.

I redirected my attention away from the commotion at the door and slowly scanned across the older contestantst; the look of irritation and murderous intent was plastered across most of their faces {like I said, dead by the second round - or at least seriously injured}. This was going to be an issue, and I couldn't help but slightly enjoy the evil that was seeping through the room like static electricity.

Gaara, Temari and Kankurou where all huddled on a desk to the far side of the room, an evil aura was emitting from them as well; I huffed I guess it was time to start the first test {well in a few minutes anyway}. I tried to relax as much as possible, the jutsu I had used to disquise myself made my skin prickle in irritation. I hated having to change my very form so as to not be seen and therefore recognised by the others; but in this case that was a very good thing. I had a feeling something was going on, and it wasn't the strange exam proticale or the fact half the group wanted to murder the rookies; something was making my wolven instincts tell me to run, run like I had done many times before when lives had been threatened {mainly mine and Achilles - who at this very moment was locked in the Hokage's office, because if he got out and came to me the game would be up}. But it could've just been the fact I'd never stayed in any place longer than a few days, now it had been a few months; and for me and Achilles, who'd both grown up traveling from place to place without stopping for too long, this was a world record. Although I still couldn't shake the fact something was making me want to run for the hills and never come back.

The gong rung out at the front of the room and all the students rushed to their assigned seats, it was going to be a long couple of hours. The master instructur for stealth missions and enemy interogation appeared at the head of the room and I almost groaned out loud; why did it have to be him? Non of these guys stood a chance as long as HE lead the exam, they where all doomed.

'_You're just being melodramatic, remember these guys are pretty good. You trained Gaara slightly... Ok you kicked his butt several times, and then nursed him back to health. But that's got nothing to do with it. You needed to have faith in these guys and try not to help them too much._' I sighed listening to my inner self, although it was really hard when I knew what this guy could do. He was a master of turture and not just the physical kind, the pen in my hand began to shake slightly as I glanced up at the impossing man before us all. '_Ok... Ok... You can worry, just don't blow your cover. If you do there will be hell to pay._' I sighed hevily again and sank into the wooden bench.

"Your first time judging an exam?" I turned my head slightly, the man/ boy next to me was maintaning his straight face, but the smile was in his brown eyes.

"Yeah, I got some idea of what I'm doing, but last time I was here I was the one taking the test... Besides I thought our instructor was to be the one we had last year." I whined scanning over our assigned group, three grass nins; non too happy with the instructor either, hey so it wasn't just me.

"Don't worry I'll give you a hand wherever possible. And our instructor well, I'm about as clueless as you with that one." He murmured, slidding a piece of paper my way just as the exam leader stepped forward and began to speak.

"THERE ARE A FEW RULES THAT COME IN TO PLAY DURING THIS EXAM!" his loud voice silenced everyone into quivering whimpering children, well his techniques may be harsh but at least they respected him {slightly}. I already knew all about the rules but it was hard not to hear them, when they where being screamed into your head. To distract myself I tried to opened the piece of paper, there where up to thrity folds; the guy next to me smirked slightly as I furrowed my brow at the parchment, this was going to take a while. "THE FIRST IS THAT CHEATING IS NOT ALLOWED! IF YOU ARE CAUGHT CHEATING FROM ANOTHERS TEST YOU WILL BE PENILIZED! FOR EACH PENALTY ONE POINT WILL BE REMOVED FROM YOUR FINAL SCORE OF TEN!"

"Wait so if I got two penalties and only got two answers right, what would happen to me." Sakura piped up, sticking her hand in the air trying to be polite, but rude and demanding at the same time.

"MISS WAIT UNTIL I'VE FINISHED EXPLAINING, YOU SEE IF YOU LOSE ALL YOUR POINTS THEN YOU LEAVE THE EXAM; IF YOU USE UP YOUR FIVE CHEAT POINTS YOU'RE DEFINATLEY GONE. YOU CAN'T CONTINUE WITH THE REST OF THE EXAM, NO SIDE ALLEYS OR SECOND CHANCES. DO NOT PASS GO, DO NOT COLLECT YOUR CHUNIN EXAM PASS. DO YOU UNDERSTAND NOW?" He stared Sakura down and she seemed to hide behind the desk slightly. I knew what she and Sasuke must be thinking, Naruto was not exactly that brainy when it came to general knowledge about anything ninja. "THE JOUNIN'S AROUND THE ROOM WILL BE MAKING SURE THAT YOU ARE CAUGHT IF YOU DO. THEY WILL ALSO BE THE ONES TO TELL YOU THAT YOU HAVE BEEN CAUGHT FIVE TIMES AND ARE TO LEAVE THE EXAM." He was a very confusing guy to listen to but thankfully for me the unfoldable piece of paper decided it wanted to be opened now. I felt like shrieking and switching places with the guy on the other side of the room to me. I stared at the guy next to me running the query round my mind, this could get me in a lot of trouble {especially if Gaara found out}. I glanced at the note again, trying to see if there was any other meaning, ANYTHING.

Hey, if you're not already taken there's a really nice restraunt called the Rose Hollow. I'd really like to take you there... - signed Atsumi

"Um... you're really sweet and all Atsumi but..." I didn't know what to tell him, I just had to at least try to clear this mistake up with him.

"But you're straight, I know. I know, I was being to forward. I shouldn't have do-"

"Will you shut up a second." I hissed at him, he stared at me mouth slightly open but I just glared back. "Like I was saying, I'm not straight. I just already have a boyfriend." {Remember I'm undercover as a guy, and I can't lie about dating Gaara, no way in hell} He blinked a couple of times before smiling shyly.

"Well if you ever break up my numbers on the other side of the sheet." He smirked making me feel slightly more uncomfortable. The gong to start the exam rang out and I redirected my attention to the grass nins who seemed to be giggling slightly at the blush that had spread across my face; they better behave otherwise I'd send them out without thinking twice. The silence was deadly, the look on Naruto's and Sakura's and Sasuke's faces was almost the exact same, one of complete dread. I guessed the test was harder than when I did it {no they don't change each year, so it must be something else}, so Naruto would definatly be panicing and so would the others; for if he went they all had to go. I hoped that they all knew how to cheat without getting caught, 'cause that was what this test was all about. The stealth of cheating...

Sakata Bluemoon


	5. Chapter 31 35

Daughters of the Wolf Moon ~ Chapters Thirty-one to Thirty-five ~ Story 1

**The Cheaters Guide to Cheating - Gaara - Chapter 31**

I stared at the piece of paper, an overly cheery assistant had handed to me with a smirk spread across their face which set my jaw on edge. I glanced across at the instructor that was intently watching me, his eyes of pale blue piercing into my writting hand, where was Moonshadow? I had no idea, she'd promised she'd be in this room no matter what; but if I knew anything about her she'd be flying round as a bug of some kind, such as a fly. No she was to skilled and clean to be a filthy fly, perhaps a butterfly to match her beauty or a spider to match her skill in tracking and capturing. Oh man now I was distracted and wasting my time.

'_Ok, keep it together Gaara. Read over the questions first, then you can panic._' I reassured myself, suddenly petrified that the test was on something I had no clue about. Well I was close most of the questions where mathmatical equasions and I wasn't too shabby at them, but the rest where too advanced even for me. And where in the world was the tenth question; they say someone would be telling us at the fourtyfive minutes mark of the exam, but what is the questions genre? I would have to worry about that question when I came to it, it was time to get back to the other questions. Really there was no other option but to cheat off some of the sourrounding nins on the questions I didn't know, it would be devistating if I lost points for unanswered questions, I would definatley have to use the third eye technique to do so. But I wouldn't cheat straight out of the gate, you'd get caught for sure, I concocted a master plan revolving around the time we had on the clock {which was just under the set hour time, thanks to my dellay}.

**Fifteen minutes in** - _finish all the maths questions_

**Thirty minutes in** - _cheat on other questions_

**Fourtyfive minutes in** - _get the tenth question, pray it would be something you knew about_

It had already been five mintutes and my time was organised well, I just woundered how Kankurou and Temari where doing and what there plan was on cheating. Kankurou would probably use his puppetery skills and force one of the instructors to tell him all the answers, then he'd write them down and give them to Temari; Temari was useless when it came to these sorts of things, she could only make winds of high velocity which wouldn't help during a test like this.

I finished all the questions which I could {around six} with minutes to spare. Now I just had to choose a suitable candidate for me to cheat off, Kiba looked confident with his answers {but it was obvious that Akamaru was cheating for him, the dog could see every paper out there from his position on Kiba's head}. Sakura didn't look confident, but she still seemed to be doing alright, Ino on the other hand looked like she was waiting for something. The Uchiha brat had the blankest expression in the world plastered on his face, but the fact his Sharingan was active and hidden behind one of bangs made it obviouse the great and mighty Uchiha was cheating like a little kid. And then there was the guy two seats to my left, he seemed strangly confident and calm; he was my target, hopefully he would have at least one of the questions I needed.

"Number 117 please collect your team and leave the exam!" An instructor with spiked black and blue hair cried from the far corner of the room. The three nins stood slowly and grummbled their way out of the room; their test papers flying up into the air and catching alight. Everyone looked aghast at what had happened, it had been a queery on my mind though; what happened, once the team was disqulified of course, to their test papers? Well now everyone knew, they burst into flames.

After the first team left more and more teams where being spotted and forced to leave. I had to finish this thing now, before I got caught out. Covering my right eye and switching my pen to my left hand {I loved being ambidextrise it was so helpful in these situations} I concentrated on the other boys paper.

"Ow my eye." was all that was heard as my third eye scanned over the paper, with the answer I needed I returned it to me; scribbling down the slightly wonky words I resumed my previous position, hunched over the paper with a look of pure frustration. I did this another two times and then stared at the slightly messy sheet of paper, it wasn't my best work but it would have to do with only six minutes until the head instructor revealed the tenth question. So to waste the time I decided to see if I could spot anyone cheating like I had done. A small bug flew over my paper, pausing only briefly like it was reading what I had written, before flying off in the direction of Shino; a clever tactic using bugs to do your bidding, unrelyable but clever. A hand on a black arm popped up just inside my line of vision.

"I need the bathroom!" called out Kankurou, so that was his way of cheating a bathroom break.

"AS LONG AS YOU DON'T MIND ONE OF OUR INSTRUCTORS GOING WITH YOU." the main instructor shouted over everyone almost sneering in satisfaction of ruining someones attempt at gaining answers, even Kankurou wasn't as loud as that guy and he could be loud {also he wasn't as satisfied when he ruined someones day, it just wasn't nice - unless of course it was mine but even then}. "YOU! BLUE HAIRED FREAK!" The boy that had ejected the first group from the exam stood upbruptly knocking his papers and clipboard onto the floor, he didn't look like a freak. The boy/ freak was only slightly younger than me and didn't look like he was as strong as the other instructors, his hair was freakish because of the electric blue lightening bolts that had been painted into his charcoal black locks; which where sticking out in all directions, appart from one which had fallen down covering his right eye. He didn't seem muscular but he was definatly toned, the tight shirt prooved this by revealing a flat stomach with faint outlines of abs. The kid wasn't a freak, he was fairly attractive; and for some unknown reason reminded me of Moonshadow in more ways than one.

"Yes, sir!" The boy stammered out almost falling over himself in haste, the main instructor sighed and rubbed the bridge fo his nose in annoyance.

"TAKE THE LITTLE BOY TO USE THE BATHROOM!" He screamed pointing to Kankurou with irratation, the boy glanced at the instructor once before almost falling over the tables on his way to the door a bright red blush spreading across his face; it wasn't very manly of him but he looked even more afraid than embaressed. I glanced at Kankurou who seemed to be getting impatient, obviously this was delaying his plans; the blue stripped hair boy stood akwardly in the middle of the room with an expression of complete dispair, suddenly he snapped his fingers and smiled like Moonshadow did when she was going to do something evil. Crossing his arms he mumbled something under his breath and then dissapeared with a small pop; I blinked a couple of times - that move I knew it all too well, it was Moonshadow's, was something going on I didn't know about.

"Ah, so sorry." He squeked as he landed on Temari's desk, right next to Kankurou, "still trying to get the positioning system right." He murmured climbing back onto the floor, something just didn't seem right about him, no guy acted like that. This was something I'd definatly have to ponder on that later, after the tenth question was revealed and I'd passed.

**The Scariest Room in the World - Moonshadow - Chapter 32**

I was so embaressed as I landed on Temari's table, I was terrible at landing when I apperated but I didn't have much of a choice. As I crawled off of the table top I caught Gaara's eye, an expression of confusion on his face.

'_He knows... He knows... He knows..._' I almost legged it out of the room without a second thought, but the way he simply turned back to his test told me he wasn't sure, yet; which although concerning was still a relief. Slowly I lead Kankurou through to the back of the exam hall, making sure he didn't lean over and cheat at the same time, and through a door which lead to a small corridor; he immediatly rushed from my side and into the male bathrooms.

I felt like retching, why the male bathrooms? why? I felt like crying, when I'd come to this exam as an instructor instead of a bug I thought I'd be left to just watch some kids; deffinatly not take my boyfriends brother to the bathroom, that was just weird and disgusting on so many levels.

**One** - a males' bathroom is for guys, not girls disguised as guys

**Two** - the male bathroom in this complex smelt funny, and not the normal bathroom funny

**Three** - there had to be rules on bathroom ediquite that girls didn't know about

**Four** - it was Kankurou

"Why are you just standing there? I thought it was policy that all contestants be watched at all times during this test." Kankurou said sticking his head out the swinging door, his statement only made me grimace more.

"Yeah, that is the protical." I sighed out, giving in and stepping into the hell that all girls feared... The guy's public bathroom. I held my breath as I scanned around the room, it was clean. Really clean like the bathroom at a hotel, it did smell though it wasn't stange, it was lavender and roses. The cubical doors all had their locks and had been freshly painted. God it was thousands of times better than the girls, and that was so not fair, guys spent half the time that girls did in the bathroom.

Kankurou stood at the urinals as I waited behind the screen seperating them from the rest of the room. I was fiddling with a loose string on my shirt when I felt the tug of a chakra string on my wrist. I squeked slightly as it pulled my left arm above my head, where the other wrist was bound.

"Now keep quite." Kankurou hissed dragging out a piece of paper and a pen from the folds of his shirt. "Right answers to these questions come on, spit them out." He commanded giving the chakra strings a slight tug, so much for keeping my identity secret during the test.

"Kankurou you didn't have to go through all this just to get some answers. You know you could've just asked me." He stood there frozen in place, his mind must've been going over this really really slowly.

"Asked?" He questioned quite confused about what was happening, I nodded slowly.

"It's me Kankurou, Moonshadow." I sighed pinching the bridge of my nose in annoyance, "I used a glimour, just like they did on the second floor." I explained as he continued to blink at me, he'd take more convincing than that; so the only thing left to do was show him, except I needed my hands. "Fine, I'll show you." Hoping that the small hand movements would work I began making a series of signs starting with the bull. Kankurou's face went from blank and confused to astonished as the glimour dropped and I returned to looking like my usual self.

"M-m-m- Moon?" He spluttered out, surprising me that he was able to form sylobals with that look of confusion in his eyes.

"Yes Kankurou, now I'll help you if you let my wrists go." I sighed my tail swishing excitedly, it was good to be recognised and have the my tail and ears free from the bond of skin.

"Uh.. Sure, I guess." He murmured still a little shaken up after what had just happened. He fiddled with the small knots he had used to bind me to him, a blush faint on his face.

"Do you want a hand with the test?" I asked quietly not looking at him directly.

"Please." He replied twiddling with the used strings, the chakra in the strings was useless now that he'd removed them but a pupeteer always held them in sentimental value {if you created each and every one by hand, in a prossess that was painstakingly slow that a snail was faster; you would too}. I picked up the slightly soggy piece of paper and slowly scanned over the nine questions he had scribbled down, all nine exactly the same as the ones they had given me during my exam. With a smile spreading across my face I scribbled down the nine answers swiftly, knowing that if I didn't get him back in that room soon questions would begin to fly about what was happening.

"Here, now let's get back in there and finish this." I smirked as I turned back into my blue haired disguise, Kankurou nodded; something still seemed to be troubling the older nin, but I would have to ask it about him later. As calmly as possible I lead him back into the exam room, the main instructor had a questioning look on his face that I shrugged off with swift ease.

"GLAD YOU COULD REJOIN US, NO PROBLEMS I HOPE?" He queeried, implying exactly what I thought he would.

"No sir, no problems." I replied taking my seat at the back once again. Atsumi gave me a look that sent a shiver down my spine, he wanted information about what had happend but he would need to wait.

"THEN LET ME FINALLY REVEAL THE TENTH AND FINAL QUESTION." I almost sighed, this was where his mental torture came into play. "FOR THE TENTH QUESTION THERE IS ANOTHER RULE, IF THAT'S ALRIGHT WITH EVERYONE. YOU SEE IF YOU CHOOSE TO TRY TO ANSWER IT AND YOU GET IT WRONG THEN YOU WILL HAVE TO LEAVE THE EXAM, YOU'RE OTHER ANSWERS WILL NOT COUNT AND WILL BE USELESS IF YOU ANSWER THIS QUESTION. BUT I'LL BE GENEROUS THIS TIME, SO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS QUESTION YOU CAN LEAVE THE CHUNIN EXAM NOW AND JUST DO IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR WHEN YOU'RE MORE CONFIDENT..." A worried look swept across some of the older examies, non of us liked where this was heading. "BUT I MAY HAVE LEFT OUT A TINY DETAIL. YOU SEE IF YOU ANSWER THE TENTH QUESTION AND YOU GET IT WRONG... THEN WELL I'M SORRY TO HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS BUT YOU'LL NEVER EVER BE ABLE TO TAKE THE CHUNIN EXAM AGAIN..." A miniacle laugh eruptted from him and at least half the nins faces drained of colour, including Sakura's and Sasuke's. Naruto's main goal in life was to become Hukage, but he couldn't do that if he got the tenth question wrong, and knowing him he probably would. "IT'S YOUR CHOICE."

**The Tenth Simple Question, Only One Simple Answer - Gaara - Chapter 33**

Exciled from the Chunin Exam, was this guy serious? I wasn't getting exciled no matter how hard the last question would be, and as long as I remained calm and like a rock the other two would follow suit. But by the looks of worry and fear sweeping across the faces of many of the remaining nins, most of these try hards wouldn't last much longer under this mental attack.

"I drop out!" piped up a sweating nin from the mist, a sadistic smile slowly spread across the instructors face as the three nins walked out of the room. Now that one had fallen the rest would follow like dominoes.

"I can't take that chance!" cried another, the girl rushed over to her team mates blabbering apologise; but the others just nodded in knowing as they shuffled out of the room.

They dropped like flies, only half of us remained and I was content with my chances of success. Then the usually enthusiastic Naruto raised his hand, my mouth dropped open; he would never do this, he wanted to be Hukage.

"Do not underestimate me! I will not run!" Naruto screamed slambing his fists down onto the table, suddenly all thoughts of leaving left the faces of the left over nins, and I thought I heard the deep threatening growl of Moonshadow's distane on the sudden change of situation.

'_Stupid welp, you let too many stay. I will make you pay for this at a later date._' I growled to myself snapping the twig of a pencil in my hand. The instructor seemed to be having the same sort of thoughts running through his head, as his face contorted to one side pulling at a hidious scar beside his right ear.

"Fine then, you all pas-" He was cut off by a black ball flying through the window and then unraveling itself before the man. The giant ball turned out to be a black flag with '_Congratulations! You passed!_' scrawled across its face in untidy silver writing.

"Well done all of you!" cried the woman now blocking the other instructor, said man's head appeared around the side of the banner with a look of annoyance on it.

"You're early." He hissed {it was the most subtle sound he had made the entire test} narrowing steely eyes at the annoyance, the woman just smirked with satisfation and yelled in a voice similar to Naruto's:

"Well you where taking too long." the older man's jaw twitched in distane, hopefully he wouldn't start yelling again; he didn't, instead he went back behind the banner with a resigned sigh. "Right I'll give you an hour to prepare and then you can all meet me at the entrence to the forest of death."

'_The forest of death, very inviting._' I thought sarcastically rolling my eyes, standing as the rest of the crowd began shuffling out the door; all of them talking about the test questions and their answers. I was the last student to step out the door where I stood to the side, the instructors followed behind me laughing and sharing some pats on the back and comments about the contestants. My eyes kept on the people at the front, but none of them came close to even looking like Moon; so, slightly put off, I began to leave my head hung low.

"And where do you think you're going Gaara - kun?" murmured a voice, two spindly arms wrapping around my shoulders startling me like a jack rabbit caught out by a hungry fox. I turned my head to gaze at two multicolour eyes one of bright green while the other one a steely grey.

"Moon." I sighed under my breath, leaning up and planting a quick kiss on her/ his mouth "Why are you a boy?" I just had to ask him, it felt weird looking up at the girl eye inside the slightly massquline features.

"They only allowed male instructors to sit the exam... But don't worry I'm not keen on staying this way, I'll meet you outside in a few minutes." She/ he smiled kissing my nose once before heading off down a dark corridor; I sighed ruffling the back of my head, between sand caked finger nails.

'_Why did she have to come as some guy? I would've been fine with an animal, not another human... especially a male._' I furrowed my brow and continued at a slow trudge down the hall, only to be stopped by a slightly pissed looking boy.

"You know how lucky you are to be a student and have him as a boyfriend." the instructor hissed crossing his arms, eyes burning in pure unsatisfyable rage.

"You can call it whatever you want, but it means nothing."I retorted trying to side step him.

"It means nothing!" he shrieked grabbing my arm and pulling me back to face him, "do you have any idea what I'd give to have a boy like him and yet you... you don't treat him with the respect he deserves..." He hissed the final part as Moon rounded the corner, restored to her original form {well original female form, she had misplaced the ears and tail}; she glanced at the boy still holding my arm like a vice.

"Aw, you take forever Gaara, I thought you'd never get out of that room." Moon whined managing to clasp her restored female hand in mine and forcing a kiss onto me, even though at that point in time it was the last thing I wanted. "So, who's your little friend." She seemed to be enjoying my distress about this, obviously she knew very well who he was.

"I don't know, his name seemed to have been misplaced during our conversation." I growled, squeezing her hand tightly.

"Oh wait, I know you!" she cried smilling brightly, "you must be Atsumi, my brother just told me all about you... Oh dear my brother was the one who sat next to you. Blue hair, grey eyes, a very femenine figure - such a shame he didn't bulk up, he was never that manly though..." an evil twinkle light her eye and I knew she'd been playing with the boy while she'd been male. "I hope he didn't come off as single. He likes to play games a lot so you shouldn't feel bad, you're not the first. Mind you I'm yet to meet his latest boyfriend, hey Gaara - kun." This was a very talkitive Moon that our presence had been graced with and it was slightly off putting.

"Come on." I hissed releasing my arm and dragging her off down the corridor.

"Ok, see you Atsumi." She called waving excitedly as I continued down the stairs. "Now Gaara I hope I didn't upset you with that show earlier." She murmured shaking her hand free from mine, "I never intended on drawing that sort of attention to myself during the exam."

"I know." Gently a soft line of kisses ran along the side of my neck to the base of my ear.

"You do know it was the only way I could sit the exam, turning into that boy." I nodded as her velvet kisses continued around the shell of my ear. "But now I have returned to you as my original self, and I'm all yours for the next fourty-five minutes. So we can do anything you want." She said stepping down to the step below me, a sly smile spreading across her face - the wolf ears had returned, as had her tail and a red hood was drapped over her arm.

"Hm." I replied brushing a soft kiss over her cheek, "come on, I wanna go see this forest of death." With that said she changed her smile from sly to just normal and returned to trailing after me, murmuring small comments on the first test and how others did, while slipping in comments about how proud she was of my performance and me; hopefully she still would be after this second test. Still she kept her smile plastered across her face {even though the hood had been doned on her head once again - I knew it was still there}, dragging me along so that I didn't feel so lost, alone or feared; she loved me and that was all that mattered in my life - for now.

**The Second Test - Sasuke - Chapter 34**

I was anxious, anxious about the next test and about how Naruto would deal with the fact we would be murdering other players - and still the fact that now I was constatnly worrying about the dobe didn't bother me one bit, it was even slightly comforting to have someone else to worry about and not just the killing kind of worry.

We'd just finished lunch and Naruto was still buzzing from the first test, as was everyone else; I had given up on trying to get him to calm down and concentrate on the tasks ahead. So once again it fell to me to be the bad guy, the kill joy; my job to drag everyone places and make sure they did the things that needed doing. Finally I decieded enough was enough and pulled the stool out from under Naruto's growing ass and marched him outside by the back of his collar, ignoring his pitiful cries of release - and it was hard not to admit it was entertaining **and** amusing to watch him struggle against my hold.

We had wasted enough time eating, we should've already been at the entrance to the forest of death when the instructor let us out. But oh no - we had to get treated to lunch by Kakashi sensie and Naruto just **had** to have second and **third** helpings of miso ramen. And now he just had to make a scene about me dragging him down the middle of the main road, God this guy was just umberable.

"Will you let me go Sasuke, you're going to stretch the collar." He bellowed another fist slamming into my arm, I could just feel the bruise forming under the sortie of blows; but I didn't liberate him, well I did - but only once we had arrived at the forest gates.

"There, happy dobe." I gratted out rubbing my arm, and for good mesure kicking him once, before stalking off in the direction of the drinks bar - intent of drowning a couple of glasses of water before heading into a forest of death with the idiot {my original idea was to drink away my troubles using sake, but with a competition staring us down, water was the only reasonable option - also the bar tender wouldn't give me anything else, not even pop or juice}.

Finaly the instructor showed up {fifty-four glasses of water, one bathroom break and another Naruto induced headache later} she hadn't really missed much. Almost instantly she handed out the slips of paper containing a release form and an 'I will not blame the deaths of me or my team mates on the instructor, Hukage or anyone else' form; well it took me about three seconds to decide - and those three seconds where were I was scribbling my name along the provided dotted line. Others seemed to take this whole situation in to much deeper concideration, who would die here? Who would survive, yet kill others? these must've been some of the questions that ran through there minds - well all except that Gaara from the sands who just seemed to smirk at the piece of paper, before handing it back to one of the helping instructors signed and sealed. I wondered if he was always this cocky about everything, that satisfied smirk only spread as he realised I was watching him; as an instant reaction I glowered back trying not to give off one of my more sinicle sneers. I think he noticed my face twitching into a slight sneer, because he stood in a fluid motion his cloaks and sashes sliding effortlessly over each other; and slowly snaked his way over to where I sat, perched on a fallen log.

"Hello Gaara." I sneered completely now, flashing as much fang as I possibly could. He didn't seemed detered by my threatening smile and instead gave one of his own, although his was much more sadistic than mine.

"Uchiha, I noticed that you too are confident enough to take me on in this challenge." I straightened my back to that of a ridged plank and leant down so that our faces where inches apart; my sneer disappearing into a blank readless line.

"Yes Gaara, and I intend on winning." My voice sounded deep and gravely, the entire world disintergrated around us, the laughter, the birds - even Naruto's voice calling out to me disappeared as we stared each other down. My hand twitched down to the weapons pouch next to me and a low hissing sound began on Gaara's back.

"Gaara..." It was soft, musical and so very smooth, a hand slid round Gaara's cheek and dragged his eyes away from mine. "This is not the time." Moonshadow said turning to face me. "Sasuke, I think Naruto wishes to speech with you." I glanced over at the drink stand where Naruto was torn between a conversation he was having with Sakura and {judging from the anamalistic glint in his eyes} beating the crap out of Gaara before telling me to be more responsible, and blah, blah, blah - he was probably going to give me the same speech I gave him every time he did something like this.

"Hm... We'll continue this later." I hissed stalking off towards where Naruto was, with a glance from me he fell into step just behind me - within arms reach if I wanted to hit him, but far enough back so as not to step on my heels.

"What's your problem with that Gaara guy?" he asked casually, I grunted - to tell you the truth I didn't even know why I wanted to tear his throat out and feed it back to him. "Fine, be like that. I didn't care anyway. You know Uchiha if you actually expressed some emotions people mightn't treat you like a piece of shit. But for now I'm quite happy if you do it to others, just bloody talk to me. I got your back man, give me a chance I cou-"

"Uzimaki if you're quite finished." Hissed the instrutor from the front of the gates, Naruto shrunk into my shadow making the instructor smirk. "Well as I was saying many things are dangerous in here so be on your toes. Also this is the first challenge where you get the satisfaction of killing those who really really bug you... Blah, blah, blah..." I zoned out of the instructors speech, preferring to look over to where Gaara stood; it seemd we had the same idea - if one of us crossed the other in this forest then only one would continue.

"Ah!" gasped Naruto as a kunia sliced across his cheek and further out into the crowd, shaving another grass nins hair.

"I told you to be on your toes." growled the instructor slowly licking the gentle flow of blood, it was kind of nauseating to watch.

"I believe this is yours." came a hiss from beside her head, the grass nin who had lost a few strands of hair had her kunia - in his tongue; and I thought the blood licking was sickening, but this was just vomit worthy.

"Thank you." the instructor smiled and grabbed the saliva covered weapon back, tucking it into one of her holsters. "Well I think we've wasted enough time, go and collect your scroll and choose a gate to begin from. They will all open five minutes after the last group has fetched their scroll."

Slowly the number of nins in the waiting area decreased, and the gates where chosen. Naruto was put in charge of the scroll - a heaven one - and we picked gate seven, just because that was our team number, and Sakura insisted it would bring us good luck. So the second test began with Naruto jumping straight into the forest, while I glanced back to the meeting place a soul figure attracting my attention - before Sakura called out that I should hurry up and move my but before it got hit by the gate. Hopefully she wouldn't be like this the entire second test otherwise I was going to lose my mind.

**Whatta ya Want From Me? - Moonshadow - Chapter 35**

The forest stood beside me its large trees looming up behind the metal mesh fence, like the thin almost tin like metal could keep some of the dangerous animals and fearsome beasts from escaping. Gaara, Temari and Kankurou had just entered the second test with heads held high at a speed that only I could match - if I felt like it. I hoped they would be alright for the next few days, and because they where gone I had some rare time to myself - which usually would've been good, except the grass nin with the long tounge had twisted some memory of darker days back to the surface and now my mind was caught between reality and fantasy.

"So what do you want to do Achilles?" I asked turning to where the wolf should've been sitting, but wasn't. Slowly my heart rate picked up and a tightness grabbed around my chest; he had never just upped and left before, not even when we had faught that once. "Achilles!" The scream was high pitched as I trotted around the area that minutes before had been filled with genins; the knot in my chest becoming tighter with each and every passing mili-second. A cold sweat dripped down in front of my eyes and formed on my palms, this was not good. "Achilles!" I screamed again, a small shot of pain flashed across my left shoulder; but it was quickly ignored, Achilles was the only thing on my mind at this point in time - pain could wait for another time.

A whine came from around the corner not too far from the space I was searching, that sent my brain into over drive - too many deadly situations swam around inside the limited space. Slowly and with heedful steps I made my way over to where the sound had come from, one inch at a time.

"Achilles." It was nothing more than a whisper, the feeling of fear ran down me in waves of electricity, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end like palm trees; while goosebumps appeared on my arms in long mountain ranges - my skin prickled all over as fear sunk deeper into my blood stream all the way down to my gut which twisted and tried to drag me the other way. A shadow of a cloud crossed over the sun, sucking the warmth from the air; I sent a fleeting glance over my shoulder, a feeling that eyes where watching me started up the goosebumps once again. My heart beat quickened, pounding louder and louder in my ears; my feet took on a mind of their own, carrying the rest of my slow body behind them. Now I could only hear two sounds both very much alike, the first was my heart hammering a frantic ryhthm into my brain; the other was the quite thump of my feet hitting the dry ground.

I veered round the corner faster than I expected and smashed into a soft furry back, I rolled onto the ground panting; the cloud over the sun, cleared - and as it did the cold sweat evaporated and my heart returned to a more normal less frantic rhythm.

"Achilles!" I cried grabbing the heavy black coat of the wolf, a cold wet nose was shoved into my ear in a sign of greeting.

"Yes." The dog was completely calm, and if he was then absolutly nothing was wrong, it was just all in my head; I hoped. "Mistress, what is the matter? Can I not just relieve myself every now and again?" He asked glancing over a tree that seemed a little strangled by its neighbouring vines.

"Of course, this place just plays with your mind that's all... Nothing to worry about. Absolutly nothing to worry about..."

"Yes absolutly nothing to worry about." A shadow murmured passing over covering us in its darkness, my insides twisted together once again and the shiver of fear ran down my spine at an increased rate; my left shoulder began screaming in pain making my hand twitch defensivly over it - nails bitting into the flesh under black cloth as they tried to take the edge of it.

"Who are you?" I growled, mentally kicking myself for even asking that question, I knew who he was; he/ it was someone who was very hard to forget...

~Flashback – 6 yrs~

Once again an entire village was out to get her, fear coursed through her blood - but something else joined it, hate. Hate that these villages had killed her mother, these villages had stupidly taken a life that wasn't theirs to take. The hate had over run the fear and now she was taking all this pain, suffering, screaming agony out on the evil that had caused it all. They spilt first blood now it was her turn to spill theirs.

"AAHHHH!" the trembling war cry rose from the girls throat as she slashed another nin clean in two. The chanting of the priests was the only other sound in the village, something spiritual mixed in with the howls of the demon child. No one could stop this massacre of the innocent, no one could still the child's swords or the snapping jaws of her wolf companion.

"Enough!" except perhaps them, the priests stood their ground against the snarls and growls of the girl - her hood long forgotten in a pile of blood as her ears and tail twitched in anger. "This must end!" The priests chants rose in intensity, until their volume was shaking the walls of the cathedral. "You have sinned, you are a sin! Meet your judgement demon of the night!" One of the priests rose from his kneeling position and joined the other at the head of the church.

The elder didn't see the knife coming, the girl did...

"Annoying old man." she hissed sheathing the blade of her sword, the assassin smiled in satisfaction - coming down to stand before the girl.

"I told you you'd get revenge for the death of your friend." Came a snake like voice, the man beneath the robes smiled and clasped the girl on the shoulder.

"But it came at a price didn't it?" the girl said pushing the hand away, as the man nodded - his long black hair framing his almost white face. "It always does, so what is it this time - my D.N.A sequence so that you can replicate me and then destroy a village. Or, perhaps, that I leave your village and family spared during this massacre of unholy actions."

"No... None of that simple evil stuff. I want you to join me." He smirked dragging her against his side, "I know what you are capable of Moonshadow, I know more about you than you do yourself." She stared at the man before her and the wolf let out a low growl.

"No, down boy... I have one condition to this arrangement, you let me return to being nomadic. I follow no one and no one follows me. If you need me just find a way of contacting me, I'm not that hard to track. And I will promise to do as you request, or don't. Really this whole I am your master, you must follow me thing just gives me a headache."

"Agreed."

He was lightening fast, faster than the girl had expected; his two oddly pointed fangs pierced the soft unprotected skin of her bare shoulder. Her cry was more of a high pitched scream as the venom began to flow throughout her entire body, the mark left behind looked like the yin-yang symbol - except it now meant something completely different.

The man let her drop to her knees, no tears falling from her eyes like he had hoped, instead she whined as his chakra spread further through her blood. She should've passed out, the chakra taking over her own and slowly turned her into one of his many power crazed followers. He was not expecting her to shake the shock off and stand, glaring daggers at him.

"Welcome to my followers Moonshadow."

"Whatever... Come on Achilles lets get out of here. See you Orichimaru."

...

~return to the showdown thats happening at the present time~

"I'm guessing by that fire behind your eyes you haven't forgotten me." He hissed tilting his hat back to stare at my crouched figure.

"It was hard not to. Especially when I checked the bite mark." I hissed rising from the dirt to stand eye to eye with him.

"Sorry about that, but you said you'd join me." I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"Yes well I didn't think that'd mean you'd bite me. I can't even take my shirt off now because everyone knows your mark." I growled flinging my arms wide in frustration. He just shrugged innocently scratching at my nerves with his incompetence. "Well I'm guessing you didn't come for a social visit, what in hells name do you want."

"Well I've come to tell you that I am in need of your unique services."

"Elaborate." I growled tightening a hand around Achilles scruff, if it came to a fight I was going in first.

"I am calling on that agreement, I helped you then and now it's your turn to help me... Do what? well I'm going to destroy Konoha piece by piece. I have already acquired others help but your skills as a hunter and use of chakra is something no one else can match."

"I decline." I growled, there was no way in hell I was going to destroy my second home just because this guy said so - even if he'd helped me before.

"I thought you might say that, so as leverage I've taken into possession one of your little friends... Well your only friend. And if you don't help, well she dies. Then if you still don't help, well the dog gets his comeuppance. Is that understood?" I was gob smacked I couldn't go against him and get Solana in danger, not again. Never ever again...

~Flashback – 2 yrs~

The two girls held back the rock village soldiers, each had scratches covering their arms, legs and anywhere else that wasn't covered in scraps of fabric. The two wolves fought side by side as the girls did the same - their tails swishing into almost one form.

"Give up daughters of the wolf moon, your accomplice is captured and you two are over powered!" cried the leader of the rock troop closest to them. The two girls shared a glance, clasped each others forearms and began reciting the mantra for the wave of death. The entire battalion went down under that one jutsu, the screams of the still partly alive could be heard all around them a sadistic smile crossed one of the girls faces as blood splattered onto her torn clothes. Moonshadow was very proud of Solana for completing the mantra and giving up the largest chunk of chakra.

"M-m-moo-moon." It was such a fragile sound, so afraid, so in pain.

"Solana!" Moon screamed diving to where her friend had fallen, it was obvious the chakra release had been too much - now it was flowing too freely from her body, this much chakra release could kill her quickly.

"I'm going to die aren't I." the girl murmured looking desperately up at her friend.

"Yes..." The younger glanced over her friends weakening body, and the most hopeless idea came to her. "But I could still save you."

"How."

"..."

"How Moonshadow."

"... By sealing your chakra in..." The other rolled her eyes and grabbed the younger's arm; the fear was evident in her eyes. "I promise it'll save your life." Solana finally let Moonshadow begin the sealing process, perturbation still evident in her eyes and the way she shook slightly as Moon began her chanting. The sealing completed itself and Solana's life was saved, but her chakra ability was gone, sealed inside behind a series of characters.

"Thank you."

"No problem, I don't know how I would've continued if anything happened to you. Your friendship is worth so much to me, that I would never let it or you die. Is that understood." The girl nodded feverishly and the two shared a hug, the two wolves let out a long mournful howl - a sandstorm was coming and it was time to move on once again...

...

~back to the discussion~

"Is that understood?" he growled again grabbing my arm and pulling me forward.

"Ye-yes Orichimaru." I managed to get the two fatal words out without faltering too much, this pleased him and he let me fall back - like a used tissue in the bin.

"Good - we will begin the attack during the last test, my other weapon will fight and then begin the destruction."

"Who is your other weapon?" I just had to ask, the answer shouldn't have been known, I should've just walked away - taken the information and left, with all my dignity and heart in tact. But oh no, I just had to know who was as powerful as me to be brought into play by this killer.

"Sabaku no Gaara..."

Sakata Bluemoon


	6. Chapter 36 40

*~~~ Three days after the start of the test ~~~*

{...Ok just a quick update for those who have been living under a rock for the past few days, this is what's been happening... It is the third day into the Chunin exam and the groups are making great progress - Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura haven't fought amongst themselves since their collection of the Earth scroll although the introduction of Orichimaru didn't help anyone. Naruto was sealed with something demented after showing the group that the Nine Tails still controlled a tiny amount of him. Sasuke was bitten by Orichimaru just like Moonshadow, but his has melded with his anger calling to him to join the evil man. But through some will power and help from Naruto and Sakura he is able to control it, although he has forgotten what happened... Gaara, Temari and Kankuro where already finished in the first nine minutes, and now they where just waiting for the five days to be over so they could continue onto the third task... And well everyone else was still trying to get through the forest - none of them had died... Yet... And so you're probably wondering where Moonshadow and Achilles got too. Well they have hidden themselves in a forest a fair distance from the village, and from the looks of it they don't intend on going anywhere...}

**So Gaara Lied, So So Must I... - Moonshadow - Chapter 36 **

"Round and round the clouds do fly, while the birds flit across the sky. and here on my back I do lie, all because of how Gaara lied." I let the rhyme flow out into the open field, Achilles tilted his deep black head towards the sound of my voice; another sparrow darted from its nest and out into the open world, the female stood on the branch watching as her mate flew away - a pang of regret stabbed my chest as I realised that I'd done the same thing with Gaara, but I didn't tell him where I had disappeared to. Well if he wanted to find me he'd search himself, I was fine in my field of flowers - with the single oak tree standing strong over my head.

"Mistress, do you want to go back?" Achilles asked for the fourth time in the last hour, my answer was the same as it was the last time - and the same it would be the next and the next and the next.

"I think I'll stay here just a while longer." I sighed out, dragging a stalk of grass from the ground and twirling it slowly between my thumb and fore-finger. Suddenly the idea came to me, I needed to check on Gaara's progress yet I couldn't go into training ground twenty-four myself, otherwise he could get evicted for cheating. "Achilles do you remember the mind control jutsu?" Well it was one way, not the best, but one way.

"Yes, and I will happily help you perform it." He barked sitting up, excited to be doing something other than lying around waiting for the day to end.

"Right now we just need to find someone with half a brain that we can take over."

"How 'bout Kiba and Akamaru, that means I can come with you." he barked happy at the thought of being another dog; although I wasn't too pleased at the thought of being another male - playing my 'brother' had been bad enough.

"Alright lets just get this over with." I murmured concentrating on the small space that was Kiba's head; Achilles did the same to the space inside Akamaru's. Surprisingly the transition from a spacious green field to running through a forest the colour and texture of storm clouds wasn't as difficult as I thought.

We where (he was) running through the forest, tree branches vanishing with each step, I was bored now - what was the point of running if I couldn't check on Gaara, unless of course we where running from something... No that was just ridiculous. The tiny white body of Akamaru (aka Achilles) leapt beside my baggy panted legs.

'Jesus, Kiba really needs to wear jeans.' I admitted to Achilles avoiding tripping over the ends of the cargo pants.

'Well what do you expect, you have once again taken over a body that belongs to a dull, boring, boy.' Achilles growled, he was obviously quite pissed off.

'Aw you're just saying that because you're in a tiny body made of fluffy white fur that looks so cute.' the dog growled into the girls thoughts just as a spasm rocked his stolen body.

"Hey Kiba, what's wrong with Akamaru?" asked Shino his blacked out glasses glinted as we passed through a shaft of dim light.

'Achilles, what is it?' I asked stopping on the largest branch.

'Gaara, he's close... And really pissed off.' he replied with an even more violent shiver.

"Akamaru can sense someones power levels, whoever this is - is really really powerful... And pissed off..." I replied, whispering out the last part through a rush of breath, I picked the white bundle up that was Achilles into my arms. 'Where is he?'

'That way.' Achilles whined rolling his head in the direction of the thickest bushes, I took off leaving the others trailing behind me, Achilles still shivering in my arms.

I screeched to a halt as the screaming words of a group of nins shattered through the eerily peaceful forest. Kankurou was growling at them to go fuck themselves; while Gaara just remained silent, not a good silence though. He was that bone chilling silent which meant he was in a really, really bad mood.

"I think you should leave." suggested a calm Kankurou, I leant into the bush - peering through the green at a clearing where the sand nins stood facing off against a group of rain nins, my breath caught - this was not going to end well for the rain's.

"No. You should hand over your scroll before we take it by force." The leader growled dragging his umbrella from his back, Achilles squeaked and I grabbed his muzzle trying to cover the sound. I held my breath as Kankurou twisted his purple streaked face in the direction of the noise; his eyes gazed straight at the bush our team was behind, but only smirked and returned to the rain nins. "...Fine then we will use force." the boy cried becoming impatient with the lack of conversation and bargaining that happening here.

'Remain calm, calm, calm...' chanted Achilles who had retreated inside Kiba's overly sized jacket, his shivering body made it look like I was cold - although how could any one be cold in what Kiba wears, even with only the jacket on it was still about 36o inside.

"Raining Death Jutsu!" screamed the rain nin throwing the umbrella up into the sky, what blue there was above the dead trees was blackened out as millions of needles covered the sun and began raining down onto the three sand nins. The next few things happened so quickly that it almost was unnoticeable - firstly the Sand nins dived next to Gaara, secondly he created a massive sand dome around all of them and finally with a sound like that of a jet hitting the sound barrier the shell cracked releasing Kankurou and Temari. "Hey you're meant to be dead!" cried the surprised rain nin.

"Sorry, but you just forced Gaara into using his ultimate defence. This protects his entire body for as long as he needs it, but he doesn't like using it." Through the frontal opening of the sand Gaara's twisted face appeared, eyes glowing with the insanity of blood lust - it would've been really scary, if only that wasn't the face which graced my bathroom mirror most mornings.

"I just can't believe none of you are lying on the ground screaming in agony." the nin said just as Gaara's giant sand castle/ball melted to the ground heading straight for the nins. I turned my back on the scene before me, already knowing what was about to happen; the sand smoothly slid, surrounding their struggling bodies, gently raising them from the ground. Strangled cries of release came from the three of them, but Gaara ignored the sounds - instead he walked forward and picked up a discarded umbrella, frictionlessly he pushed the umbrella open and raised his hand once more. A callous smile spread across his face as he closed his hand, simultaneously liquidizing the three nins, blood rained down on him from the now squished Rain nins.

I closed my eyes tightly and returned to my old body with a sigh of relief. The blades of lush green grass ran like liquid through my fingers as I slowly stroked the ground, the Earth was breathing and here I lay - breathing with it.

"What are we going to do Achilles?" I sighed biting softly on my bottom lip as I rolled over onto my stomach.

"Deny all knowledge of what has happened... And get something for lunch.." Smirked the overly confident wolf, he was happy to be back in his own body, and so was I.

"So Gaara lied, and now so must I..."

**Sealed, Signed, but not going to be Delivered - Sasuke - Chapter 37**

I stared with discontent at the freshly caught fish which was slowly sizzling away over our small open fire. Naruto was on the other side happily chatting to Sakura, who stared dreamily in my direction - even though if asked she'd deny it.

Today was the third day of the examination two where left until we needed to finish and the bite on my neck was driving me insane. I knew how it happened, yet I didn't, because when I tried to recall it all I got was a pale face with a satisfied smile on it.

Stars twinkled like diamonds in the black velvet of the night sky, I lay awake breathing in and as the cool air hit my chest spitting out another name.

"...Koru..."

breath

"...Manu..."

breath

"...Korumanu..."

breath

"...Orumanu..."

sharp intake of breath

"!ORICHIMARU!" I cried sitting bolt upright, startling awake the rest of my team. Finally I had a name to put with the face, now revenge was in order.

"Rowt Sahsucke..." asked a sleepy Naruto - translation, 'What Sasuke'. I was glowering, the feeling of hate rippled through my blood and the mark on my shoulder pulsed with pleasure.

"orichimaru..." I growled again, vengeance dripping from my voice like syrup from a pancake. Naruto just rolled his eyes, coughed 'weirdo' and went back to sleep.

"Forget him Sasuke-kun. What he did was strange and slightly disgusting, but that doesn't matter. We will be at the tower in the next two days and then we can finish this exam." Sakura sighed rolling back over after she had finished; leaving me to my thoughts and the stars. I didn't even realise I'd fallen asleep, until the dream emerged from the murky darkness...

_I was there, but not there. Slowly walking through a village stained red from blood, the dead littered the streets leading me towards a cathedral where rumbling storm clouds swirled. My legs moved me towards the thunder and pained cries that where coming from there, the steady rhythm of my heart beat slowly in my mouth - death hung heavily everywhere I turned._

_I passed through the great doors of the church moving forward towards a group of chanting monks, words from latin and greece washed over me as the doors where thrown wide. Snarls and animalistic cries of pain and sorrow reverberated around the house of God. Another cry released from her throat and the chanting began to grow in volume._

"_Enough!" cried one of the priests stepping towards the beast, who in turn stalked forward - swords of black flashing in the candle light as blood dripped from their tips, lips smeared with blood where drawn back revealing blood stained teeth in a twisted snarl. A tail whipped around her legs in anger. "This must end!" continued the priest, his companions chants rose in intensity - the combined voices shaking the rock walls around them. "You have sinned! You are a sin! Meet your judgement demon of the night!" he continued screaming as another priest came to join him. With a strangled cry the man slipped to the ground with a knife protruding from his chest. _

"_Annoying old man." the beast hissed sheathing its blades of darkness, the assassin smiled coming down and standing before the beast. I crept forwards so I was sitting in the pew next to them._

"_I told you you'd get revenge for the death of your friend." said the assassin, his voice hissed sounding similar to a snakes; the man clasped the girls (if you could call it that) shoulder. _

"_But it came at a price didn't it?" said beast with a sigh, the voice it owned sounded so familiar, pushing the hand away as the man nodded dropping the hood of his robes. "It always does, so what is it this time - my D.N.A sequence so that you can replicate me and then destroy a village. Or, perhaps, that I leave your village and family spared during this massacre of unholy actions."_

"No... None of that simple stuff. I want you to join me." The man smirked dragging the beast to his side, "I know what you are capable of Moonshadow, I know more about you than you do yourself." Moonshadow, God, I felt so blind - the girl was powerful and cunning, but at the same time mysterious, definitely the goddess staying in our village at the moment. But what had happened here, why was she like this? Wearing blood smeared cloths, hoodless and screaming like a caged animal. I shook my head quickly and returned to the scene playing out before me. Moon stared at the man before her and Achilles leapt into the church, letting out a low growl of warning.

"No, down boy... I have one condition to this arrangement, you let me return to being nomadic. I follow no one and no one follows me. If you need me just find a way of contacting me, I'm not that hard to track. And I will promise to do as you request, or don't. Really this whole I am your master, you must follow me thing just gives me a headache."

"Agreed."

He was lightening fast, faster than I'd expected; he bite down on the skin of her exposed shoulder. The pained cry was more of a high pitched scream as the man released, a mark was left behind looked like the yin-yang symbol almost identical to the one that was now pulsing on my shoulder.

The man let her drop to her knees, no tears of pain falling from her eyes like I'd expected, instead she whined. I was not expecting her to just shake the shock off and stand, glaring daggers at the man who had injured her.

"Welcome to my followers Moonshadow."

"Whatever... Come on Achilles lets get out of here. See you Orichimaru." I gaped after the retreating figure as the image slowly fizzled out and returned to black as someone began shaking me awake...

The day was too bright and happy, something inside me was twisted and broken; I stared at Sakura as she shook my shoulders.

"Come on sleepy head, we have a long journey ahead of us." she laughed walking off in the direction of the central tower. My head span with last nights dream Moonshadow knew Orichimaru, something had happened to force her to join forces with him. Moonshadow carried the mark which I now bore, so we where both sealed with Orichimaru - know what was to happen?

**Finally Broken - Gaara - Chapter 38**

Finally we where allowed to leave the forest, leave the challenge and take that final step towards the end of the Chunin exam. I left Kankurou and Temari waiting inside the third examination building, Moonshadow was yet to meet me and I was worried. Perhaps I was acting too loving towards her, perhaps I was suffocating her with my clingy attitude? No if that was happening she'd tell me, or at least act in someway.

I made my way back to the Hokage's mansion, keeping my ears pricked for any sound.

Crying...

Soft pitiful, weak crying came from one of the bedrooms; I carefully opened the door trying to avoid disturbing whoever was inside.

I walked in on Moonshadow, her hair was out spread across the bed like a fan, her body curled into a tight ball like that of someone trying to hold them-self together. Wallpaper had been torn, pillows spilled their stuffing out onto the ground and lamps where shattered; she had gone on a rampage through the room releasing the anguish that was obvious through her current aura.

"Moon..." I murmured gently pulling her onto my lap, her body was shaking with the force of the tears which spilled down her face. My response to this was to tighten my grip, allowing her to bury her head into the side of my neck. "What happened?" I asked drawing forth another sniffle from her, but she looked up at me wiping her eyes with the side of her hands.

"I was visited by an old acquaintance. I went to tell the Hokage that they where here, but he gave me a letter and said I should read it..."

"What was the letter about?" she burst into tears again, so I guessed finding out more about this was a very minimum of a chance.

"Sorry..." she whispered taking a few deep breaths. "Here, I don't want to talk about it..." she handed a very crumpled piece of paper over to me, before burying herself back in my shoulder and pretending not to exist.

'Dear Moonshadow,

I know you've been walking round with only that name but I believe, as it is your sixteenth birthday, it is time for you to know more. I tried to keep your birth a secret from the villages, but on your third birthday they happened to stumble across you. Wolfgang may be able to explain this more to you if she is still there, for I only have a few minutes to tell you many things.

Firstly you do have a mother, her name was Cerdwin which in our language means The Mother Goddess, unfortunately there happened to be a very annoying little man called Donnelly who murdered her in a very unpleasant display of justice - well so he says.

Secondly you are the princess of an ancient Gaelic clan of nomadic people, we call ourselves The Faolan which means Wolf. That is one reason all of us walk with wolves at our side, Achilles is your companion, heart and the greatest weapon you could ever have.

Thirdly what you think are a curse - your tail and ears - are a sign of blessing in Faolan, if a child is born with these they are of great power and importance. But because our people had moved into a village just outside the city of Konohoa, they thought you where possessed by a demon - they said it was the reincarnation of the Nine Tailed Fox, what ever that is.

Finally as you probably have spent most of your life wondering, you do have a father... I don't know if you want to meet him though, his is a very power mad man, full of evil and hate. We have called him Guthrie which means War Serpent, due to his abnormal control over snakes. But he does have a name, Orichimaru.

Signed, Liam your determined guardian...

I finished reading slowly setting the piece of paper down, wrapping my arms around Moon. There was nothing I could say, nothing I could do to bring her comfort.

"Gaara." it was a breathy voice, right beside my ear.

"mmmhhh..." I replied staring out into the distance.

"I'm sorry, but I need to leave..." I sat in silence to this knowledge, I knew what was going to happen. "I need to work things out... I'm so messed up right now... If I leave, promise you won't forget me..." her request was met with silence, silence which I didn't know how to fill. "Please... I don't want to lose you..." I snapped grabbing her in a tight embrace before kissing her as forcefully as I could, trying to blend into her. Melt into her mouth and become one with the woman I loved.

"I won't" she nodded and stood slowly, leaving me sitting on the bed. Once again it had felt like my heart was being crushed in my chest. I finally felt the broken feeling which had always been there, Moonshadow closed the door behind her heading for who knows where.

The only thing I knew was I loved her, she loved me... And that I needed to destroy something as a way of releasing the feelings which where bubbling over inside me. I felt like I was broken, yet I knew I was whole...

**Defeat in its Many Forms - Moonshadow - Chapter 39**

I left Gaara in the room, his kiss still lingering on my lips - why did he have to do that? This just made everything a million times harder. I should turn back and apologise, say that this was a stupid idea - which it was - and then kiss him; but I couldn't stay here anymore, my father had my best friend - what sort of freak does that? And Achilles had also gone missing; after we'd finished reading the letter he said he had something to do - and well I may have been quick to immediately assume an abduction had occurred, but I didn't think I was wrong. Then not a word from him since, and I was slightly worried about him. Plugging in my ipod I turned whatever song that had been last played on. 'Scar' by Missy Higgins began playing the words not making me feel any better about anything.

He left a card a bar of soap, and a scrubbing brush next to a note. That said use these, down to your bones... And before I knew I had shiny skin, and felt easy being clean like him. I thought this one knows better than I do...

A triangle trying to squeeze through a circle, he tried to cut me so I'd fit... And doesn't that sound familiar, doesn't that hit to close to home, doesn't that make you shiver the way things could've gone. And doesn't that feel peculiar, when everyone wants a little more. So that I do remember, to never go that far, could you leave me with a scar...

So the next one came with a bag treats, she smelled like sugar and spoke like the sea. And she told me, don't trust them, trust me... Then she pulled in my stitches one by one, and looked at my inside clicking her tongue. Saying this will all, have to come undone...

A triangle trying to squeeze through a circle, she tried to blunt me so I'd fit... And doesn't that sound familiar, doesn't that hit to close to home, doesn't that make you shiver the way things could've gone. And doesn't that feel peculiar, when everyone wants a little more. So that I do remember, to never go that far, could you leave me with a scar...

I think I realised just in time, although my old self was hard to find... You could bathe me in your finest wine, but I'd never give you mine... 'Cause I'm a little bit tired of fearing that I'd be the bad fruit that nobody buys... Tell me did you think we'd all dream the same...

And doesn't that sound familiar, doesn't that hit to close to home, doesn't that make you shiver the way things could've gone. And doesn't that feel peculiar, when everyone wants a little more. So that I do remember, to never go that far, could you leave me with a scar...

Could you leave me with a scar...

Could you leave me with a scar...

As the song dimmed I realised I'd stop walking and was staring straight past everyone, everything, into the nothingness of space time and the fourth dimension. I'd done this, my life was exactly this. I scrubbed myself down to the bone to remove the blood which covered me, it made me feel at ease like what I'd done had never happened. I tried to remove the evil from me with water so that I could be like everyone else, even though I never would be. I thought they knew better than me. I tried to blunt my sharp edges so I'd be like them...

Then I met Gaara, he was sweet and spoke like a god; I instantly fell for him. Yet still I forced him to tell me about his past, acting sweet and caring; telling him to forget about others and just trust me. I pulled at his personality changing it to suit me, suit my own ideas; I dragged him from the darkness and shoved him into the light... I blunt the triangle that was Gaara, to fit him through a circle and be like everyone else...

Was I evil? No... Horrible? Yes... Perhaps I was more like Orichimaru than I would like to be...

My mind broke, the ideas, thoughts - left my mind twisted and finally after years of keeping myself sane it shattered into millions upon millions of shards. I leapt to the roof top howling in agony and anger. Orichimaru - my father - had taken away my friend, destroyed the relationship with Gaara, captured my most loyal companion and broke my mind... He was going to get what he deserved. My eyes glowed with vengeance - which surprisingly made the green turn into a wolven gold - and I drew my lips back into a smirk, shadows played across this face as I shimmied down a drain pipe and into the window below the one Orichimaru was in.

With practised steps I snuck up to the floor above, dispatched the guard at the door as quickly and quietly as possible, before slipping through a crack into the suit.

"Hello Moonshadow." came his cheery voice, my reply was a deep growl. Orichimaru was happily slumped in a fine victorian high back chair, he seemed overly pleased with himself - something that didn't make me feel any more relaxed or forgiving.

"I want my friends released... Father..." I snarled on the last word making him sneer, he lazily indicated to the double bed at the other end of the room. Cautiously I walked down to where he had indicated, constantly checking over my shoulder to make sure he didn't try anything. Not that he needed to...

I howled as the ache in my heart swelled engulfing my body, making it burn in sorrow. On the bed lay the bodies of Achilles and Solana, they where both statue still and cold to touch; nothing seemed wrong with them, they shouldn't have been dead, it just looked like they where sleeping ever so peacefully. I gently lifted Achilles black head and rested my check against his, the tears flowing down my checks in streams, each tiny dew drop landing on his midnight soft fur - I tilted my head back and let a mournful howl leave me.

"Now, now my dear. Don't be so dramatic." He hissed, a hand resting on my bent head - I had come here with bloodlust and vengeance, now I only felt sorrow and lose - the tattoo on my shoulder gently throbbed in time with my breaking heart.

"I will join you..." I sighed out, slowly standing, staring down at the two bodies turning pale white on the bed.

"What?"

"I will join you..." I said again, "there is nothing left for me here. I want to leave, and forget..." I whispered as he ever so gently hugged me.

"That's my girl, defeat is easier if you learn to forget victory..." He hissed allowing me to walk to the window, I glanced over my shoulder at him before stepping lightly out into the dying day. Rain was coming...

**Al Fine - Chapter 40**

So here we come to the end, each word of love, lose and sorrow all here. In time the people of this tale will forget one another; returning to their lives before this event.

Sasuke has already forgotten Moonshadow, forgotten his dream of the woman in the red cloak. He will always remember Gaara as his rival, his rival in skill - not the game of love. He will seek out Orichimaru for strength and power, so he can finally exact revenge on his brother. Memories will cover memories, the bad taking over the good.

Gaara too will forget his wolven princess, her departure from his life will be replaced with something else. Those feelings which he showed love, compassion, joy will remain with him though - but the story to them will be with Naruto's final words to him, not the girl with black hair and glowing green eyes.

Moonshadow well its best that we go back to her departure of the village, and use her words for the situation. No matter what happens, she will be forgotten...

_The sun was setting behind me, clouds the colour of fresh lavender swirled away from the stone ones heading in their direction. The heady scent of rain clung to the atmosphere, sending shivers down my spine. I turned at a clearing, the small rise I was on allowed me to look back at my second home. Tears of sorrow still dripped down the sides of my face, sliding smoothly off from the bottom of my chin. _

_Rain that had been waiting patiently finally began to fall, splattering on the ground and my heated body; I felt the dull ache in my chest slowly fade as the thousands of tiny water droplets washed my body clean of sin and sorrow. Tilting my face to the sky I let out one final howl, which echoed slowly around the valley that is Konohoa. _

"_I will be forgotten, by the time I can no longer see the village every resident will forget that I was even here... I am the daughter of a mad man, and the goddess of the Earth... I am the wind, here on minute and gone the next... Actually I'm more like the rain, I stay for awhile happily watching and contributing to the things around me. But once the wind has blown me on, everyone forgets I was even there... I am nothing, and I am everything... I am a Daughter of the Wolf Moon..." _

So there you go, and with ghost like steps the figure of Moonshadow dissipated into the cloud of rain. And just as she had said, once the rain had cleared everyone forgot - even her own father forgot about his deal with her. Perhaps she will turn up again, but this time in some other village - or by a different name. Moonshadow, a beautiful princess, an exquisite flower of pure white, here and gone... Just like the rain...

**Hello, Sakata_Bluemoon here. I would like to thank everyone for waiting for these final chapters to come together. I would also like to send my regards out to Solana24 who has been editing this book for me (I am a TERRIBLE editor). Please review and tell me what you thought, those reviews will determine whether or not a write another story that is this long... Once again I hope you enjoyed reading it, and please review...**

**Sakata_Bluemoon**


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